Germany election: Merkel wins fourth term, exit polls say
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been re-elected for a fourth term in federal elections, exit polls suggest.
Her conservative CDU/CSU alliance has won 32.5% of the vote, remaining the largest party in Germany's parliament, according to the ARD poll.
Its coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, has gained 20%.
Meanwhile, the AfD, a right-wing nationalist, anti-Islam party, was on track to win 13.5%, emerging as Germany's third-strongest party.
Addressing supporters, Mrs Merkel said she hoped for a "better result" and talked about "extraordinary challenges".
She added that she would listen to the "concerns and anxieties" of AfD voters in other to regain them.
The numbers mean that 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. We haven't reached our objective," he told supporters.
AfD's performance, better than what opinion polls had forecast, means that the right-wing party will have a seat at the Bundestag for the first time.
The party's leader, Frauke Petry, said on Twitter (in German) that Germany has experienced an incomparable "political earthquake".
The exit poll put the Liberal FDP with 10.5%; the Greens with 9.5% and the Die Linke (The Left) with 9%.
Mrs Merkel will now have to search for new coalition partners - a process that could take months.
courtesy bbc.com
It's strange to see the world shifting to more right wing policies and government. The world wants big government I believe because we all feel with the shifting environments of technology and data information and the digital era there will be a war of sorts. That while it would be nice to be cohesive and democratic in all manners that's not realistic. History tells us of there is a reources, especially a new resource or ability to get ahead of others that it's every man for himself. I wish we could all share and be open and honest and work together but I guess competition builds productivity.
This result is Disaster for angela merkel, She has paid the price for opening the borders for foreign refugees mainly muslims from Sryia.
It will be difficult for her to find coalition
Most of the immigrants arent even from syria. The problematic Part of the immigrants are from northern Afrika especially
I worked with a Muslim lady who was very modest, very intelligent, and very family oriented. Actually, two ladies who were first generation immigrants from Muslim countries. On a part I feel it's sad to close our borders to hinest, living and giving women like these two were on there other hand to take the chance at allowing a terrorist to have access to more resources and opportunity than I get in the American system (I am schizophrenic so I don't get to have things like a career or bank account etx) seems ridiculous. When the rights of newcomers outweigh the rights of natural born citizens then there is an issue. I never made a mistake in my career, had great credit before illness, and at diagnosis was kind of shifted into a new life one where I have a payee and can not practice with my degrees. The system is already set up to weed out people that could be potential dangerous or harm it in some way so it seemed natural for the US to deny refugees from Muslim countries I was surprised in the debate about the matter.
Absolutely true, I agree with you
Note SPD isnt a coaltion Partner anymore.
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