German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been re-elected for a fourth term in federal elections, exit polls suggest.
Her conservative CDU/CSU alliance won 32.5% of the vote, remaining the largest party in Germany's parliament, according to the ARD poll.
Its outgoing coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, said it would go into opposition after winning 20%.
Germany election: Merkel wins fourth term, exit polls say
BBC News
24 September 2017
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been re-elected for a fourth term in federal elections, exit polls suggest.
Her conservative CDU/CSU alliance won 32.5% of the vote, remaining the largest party in Germany's parliament, according to the ARD poll.
Its outgoing coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, said it would go into opposition after winning 20%.
In a result which shocked many, the nationalist AfD was on track to win 13.5%, making it the third party.
Addressing supporters, Mrs Merkel said she had hoped for a "better result" and talked about "extraordinary challenges".
She would listen, she said, to the "concerns and anxieties" of AfD voters in order to win them back.
Chancellor Merkel has won a fourth term, but will need new coalition partners
The numbers mean the SPD, led by Martin Schulz, has fallen to a new post-World War Two low.
Mr Schulz said the result was the end of the "grand coalition" with Mrs Merkel's alliance.
"It's a difficult and bitter day for social democrats in Germany," he told supporters. "We haven't reached our objective."
AfD's performance, better than forecast in opinion polls, means the right-wing party will have seats in the Bundestag for the first time.
Prominent AfD figure Frauke Petry said on Twitter (in German) that Germany had experienced an incomparable "political earthquake".
The exit poll puts the Liberal FDP on 10.5%; the Greens on 9.5% and Die Linke (The Left) on 9%.
Mrs Merkel will now have to search for new coalition partners, a process that could take months.
A 'Jamaica' coalition?
The SPD has already rejected the idea of another CDU/CSU-led grand coalition, narrowing Mrs Merkel's options
A "Jamaica" coalition, so-called because of the colours of Jamaica's flag, is emerging as the most likely option. It includes the black CDU/CSU, the yellow, business-friendly FDP and the Greens. It is not a marriage made in heaven, as the Greens want to phase out 20 coal-fired power plants and the FDP disagree, but the only formation that would guarantee enough seats in the new Bundestag, broadcaster ZDF says
All the other combinations of two or three parties would fail to reach a majority, the broadcaster adds
Germany election: Merkel wins fourth term, exit polls say - BBC News
Yep. Definitely a racist, eh, BBC?
Her conservative CDU/CSU alliance won 32.5% of the vote, remaining the largest party in Germany's parliament, according to the ARD poll.
Its outgoing coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, said it would go into opposition after winning 20%.
Germany election: Merkel wins fourth term, exit polls say
BBC News
24 September 2017
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been re-elected for a fourth term in federal elections, exit polls suggest.
Her conservative CDU/CSU alliance won 32.5% of the vote, remaining the largest party in Germany's parliament, according to the ARD poll.
Its outgoing coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, said it would go into opposition after winning 20%.
In a result which shocked many, the nationalist AfD was on track to win 13.5%, making it the third party.
Addressing supporters, Mrs Merkel said she had hoped for a "better result" and talked about "extraordinary challenges".
She would listen, she said, to the "concerns and anxieties" of AfD voters in order to win them back.
Chancellor Merkel has won a fourth term, but will need new coalition partners
The numbers mean the SPD, led by Martin Schulz, has fallen to a new post-World War Two low.
Mr Schulz said the result was the end of the "grand coalition" with Mrs Merkel's alliance.
"It's a difficult and bitter day for social democrats in Germany," he told supporters. "We haven't reached our objective."
AfD's performance, better than forecast in opinion polls, means the right-wing party will have seats in the Bundestag for the first time.
Prominent AfD figure Frauke Petry said on Twitter (in German) that Germany had experienced an incomparable "political earthquake".
The exit poll puts the Liberal FDP on 10.5%; the Greens on 9.5% and Die Linke (The Left) on 9%.
Mrs Merkel will now have to search for new coalition partners, a process that could take months.
A 'Jamaica' coalition?
The SPD has already rejected the idea of another CDU/CSU-led grand coalition, narrowing Mrs Merkel's options
A "Jamaica" coalition, so-called because of the colours of Jamaica's flag, is emerging as the most likely option. It includes the black CDU/CSU, the yellow, business-friendly FDP and the Greens. It is not a marriage made in heaven, as the Greens want to phase out 20 coal-fired power plants and the FDP disagree, but the only formation that would guarantee enough seats in the new Bundestag, broadcaster ZDF says
All the other combinations of two or three parties would fail to reach a majority, the broadcaster adds
Germany election: Merkel wins fourth term, exit polls say - BBC News
Yep. Definitely a racist, eh, BBC?
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