Election winner Friedrich Merz said on Friday he was open to reforming Germany's legally prescribed spending limits as his conservatives started exploratory talks on forming a coalition with outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats.

German conservative leader Friedrich Merz, the country's presumptive next chancellor, is set to make a surprise visit to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, days after his CDU/CSU bloc secured victory in national elections.

Negotiators from German election winner Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc and the centre-left Social Democrats started exploratory talks Friday on a possible coalition government, but were tightlipped on the details as they launched what could be a complicated process.

But critics say Merz's style seems imperious and inspired by the disruptive spirit reigning in the United States - and won't go down well in a country where the executive's power

Germany's conservatives led by election winner Friedrich Merz held first talks on Friday with the Social Democrats on forming a coalition government as the country faces multiple challenges at home and abroad.