Ruling and opposition parties in Germany made the final appeal for support on the last day of campaigning, before voters cast their ballots in general elections on Sunday.



The vote is taking place following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition last November.



The latest opinion poll by German public broadcaster ZDF shows that the largest opposition, the center-right alliance of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, is in the lead, with 28 percent support. The alliance's candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is viewed as a frontrunner for the German chancellorship.



The Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, is in second place in the poll, at 21 percent. It takes an exclusionary stance toward immigrants and refugees and is deemed to be far-right.



Scholz's center-left Social Democratic Party and its coalition partner the Greens are facing an uphill battle, with their support rate hovering at around 15 percent each.



None of the parties are expected to secure an outright majority in the election. It is viewed as likely that the largest opposition will gain the most seats and lead negotiations to launch a coalition government.



Germany has recently seen a series of attacks in which asylum seekers are suspected of involvement.



On Friday, a tourist suffered serious injuries to his neck after being attacked with a knife in the center of the German capital Berlin. Police detained a 19-year-old Syrian refugee and are investigating on suspicion of attempted murder.



Attention is focused on how much AfD will expand support on the back of public dissatisfaction over the country's immigration policy.