BERLIN, 27 Sept. - (ANA) - Germany’s centre-left Social Democrats have secured a narrow victory in the country’s general election, final results show, ending 16 years of Angela Merkel-led conservative rule.

 

Social Democrats said they had received a “clear mandate” to form the next federal administration, having last led the country in 2005.

 

The final lead comes after shock exit polls suggested a neck-and-neck race between the CDU and the Social Democrats led by Olaf Scholz, who were trailing in third place in opinion polling as recently as a few weeks ago.

 

Mr Scholz, who has been serving as finance minister since 2018, will still need to form a coalition if he is to lead the next government, a process that could take months, and Ms Merkel will remain as chancellor until the new administration is confirmed. Even though they are the largest single party in terms of votes, the Social Democrats have fewer paths to power because their preferred coalition partners, the Free Democrats, look to have finished a distant fourth.

 

“This is a great victory,” Scholz said earlier in the night, as the result became clearer. “The voters have made a clear decision and we’re ahead. We’ll wait for the final results and then get right to work.”

 

The SPD, which has suffered badly as Ms Merkel’s junior partner in a loveless coalition for the past eight years, has vowed to break away and try to form a coalition with two smaller parties. This would give post-war Germany its first three-party coalition, although the presence of at least one unwanted bedfellow has given rise to concerns over the stability and longevity of such an alliance.

 

The close outcome means the Social Democrats must team up with other parties to form a government. And in the complex equation that can be required in Germany to form a government, it is possible that if the winning party fails to get others on board, the party that is placed second could wind up leading the country.

 

The SPD took 25.7% of the vote, while Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc secured 24.1%. A coalition will need to be created to form a government. The Greens could have a stake in negotiations, having achieved the best result in their party’s history, coming in third with 14.8% of the ballot.  - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/27 September 2021 - - -