A senior member of Germany's conservative bloc has called on the Social Democrats to put party interests behind those of the country, as both parties are widely expected to begin talks on forming the next government.

Germany's conservatives won the country's snap elections, but many in the party are disappointed at its overall showing. The SPD fared even worse, plummeting to the worst result in its modern history.

Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz will start trying to form a coalition government on Monday after his conservative bloc won a national election that saw far-right and far-left parties hoover up support from disaffected voters.