Germany’s Social Democrats win election, but Merkel successor could take months
- Germany’s Social Democrats narrowly win biggest share of vote; Merkel’s CDU/CSU conservative bloc get worst result in their history
- Two parties pushing for a tougher stance on China – the Greens and FDP – may well end up as kingmakers in next coalition
The results from Germany’s elections are paving the way for a nail-biting new phase, with the two men bidding to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel both saying they could lead the next government.
With the conservative CDU-CSU alliance and the SPD each seeking to form governing coalitions in a race for power, Germany was up for a rocky few months that could blunt it on the international stage for some time.
Preliminary results early Monday showed Finance Minister Olaf Scholz’s SPD had won the largest share of the vote at 25.7 per cent, according to figures on the election commission’s website.
Chancellor Merkel’s centre-right CDU-CSU bloc and their candidate Armin Laschet garnered 24.1 per cent, its worst showing in its seven-decade history. The Green party came third with 14.8 per cent.
The SPD’s chancellor candidate Scholz, and Laschet from Merkel’s conservatives have each claimed a mandate to govern, setting off a scramble for potential coalition partners.
Laschet, 60, and Scholz, 63, both said their goal was to have a new government in place before Christmas.
Citizens “want a change in government,” said Scholz, who ran an error-free campaign that cast him as a safe pair of hands, contrasting sharply with Laschet’s series of gaffes.