Casting a ballot has never been more important than this year, says voter in German election
Record ID:
1638624
Casting a ballot has never been more important than this year, says voter in German election
- Title: Casting a ballot has never been more important than this year, says voter in German election
- Date: 26th September 2021
- Summary: AACHEN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 26, 2021) (REUTERS) POLLING STATION VOTER ENTERING POLLING STATION (SOUNDBITE) (German) VOTER, BAERBEL SCHOENBERG, SAYING: "It has never been more important to vote than this year. It is a little dumb. But I think if we want to create good living conditions for the next generation, this is the most important." (SOUNDBITE) (German) VOTER, GUENTHER KESSLER, SAYING: "Well, every time it is important (to vote). Well, now it is especially interesting because there is going to be a change in government." MUNICH, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 26, 2021) (REUTERS) VOTER HAVING ID CHECKED VARIOUS OF VOTING BOOTHS BALLOT BOX VOTER CASTING BALLOT BALLOT VARIOUS OF VOTER IN TRADITIONAL BAVARIAN LEDERHOSEN VOTING BALLOT BOX PEOPLE AT POLLING STATION
- Embargoed: 10th October 2021 08:32
- Keywords: early voting election
- Location: AACHEN, MUNICH, GERMANY
- City: AACHEN, MUNICH, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWCU6H3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Polls opened all over Germany on Sunday (September 26) for a national election that looks too close to call, with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) mounting a strong challenge to retiring Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives.
Incumbent Chancellor Merkel has been in power since 2005 but plans to step down after the election, making the vote an era-changing event to set the future course of Europe's largest economy.
After a domestic-focused election campaign, Berlin's allies in Europe and beyond may have to wait for months before they can see whether the new German government is ready to engage on foreign issues to the extent they would like.
The splintered political landscape means a three-way coalition is likely. Final opinion polls gave the Social Democrats a narrow lead, but the conservatives have reduced the gap in recent days and many voters were still undecided.
The most likely coalition scenarios see either the SPD or the conservative CDU/CSU bloc - whoever comes first - forming an alliance with the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).
Both the conservatives and the FDP reject a European "debt union" and want to ensure that joint European Union borrowing to finance the bloc's coronavirus recovery package remains a one-off. The SPD has talked about taking steps towards a fiscal union.
The Greens favour a common European fiscal policy to support investment in the environment, research, infrastructure and education.
(Production: Erol Dogrudogan, Ayhan Uyanik, Ute Swart) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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