social democrats and conservatives in a pocket handkerchief

Angela Merkel’s succession is starting to take shape. Sunday, September 26, some 60.4 million German voters were called to vote in the legislative elections to designate the new majority and, consequently, the one who will succeed the Chancellor after her sixteen years in power.

While the polling stations closed at 6 p.m., the first estimates at the exit of the ballot boxes confirm a very close ballot. According to German public television ZDF, the Social Democrats of the SPD come in first with 26% of the vote. Armin Laschet’s CDU-CSU closely follows with 24%, followed by Annalena Baerbock’s Greens with 14.5%. The Liberals of the FDP total 12% of the vote, the AfD (far right), 10%, and Die Linke (left), 5%. The counting continues, other estimates give the SPD and the CDU-CSU equal (25%).

This voting day was marked by a blunder by Armin Laschet. When voting, the center-right leader, who is fighting to keep the chancellery in the camp of the conservatives of Angela Merkel, failed to hide his ballot in front of the cameras – contrary to what the electoral code requires. Angela Merkel, for her part, chose to vote by post.

Read also Elections in Germany live: the social democrats of the SPD claim victory

Coalitions needed

The name of the future chancellor and the composition of his probable majority, however, may not be known as of Sunday evening. Long negotiations will be necessary in the coming months to train the future team in power – at the risk of leading to European paralysis until the first quarter of 2022.

For the first time since the 1950s, the support of a third party should be necessary to form a majority coalition. The liberals of the FDP already appear as a potential “Kingmaker”, just like the environmentalists of Die Grünen. The radical left Die Linke seems to be ready to participate but will first have to give up its criticism of NATO.

The far-right AfD, which entered the Bundestag for the first time four years ago, is expected to confirm its parliamentary roots with around 10% but remains excluded from any possible coalition.

Read also Two votes, a fluctuating number of deputies, almost compulsory coalitions: the peculiarities of the German elections

The World with AFP


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