Chancellor candidate Laschet folds his ballot incorrectly, showing his 'secret' vote

Record ID: 1638659

  • Title: Chancellor candidate Laschet folds his ballot incorrectly, showing his 'secret' vote
  • Date: 26th September 2021
  • Summary: AACHEN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 26, 2021) (REUTERS) CDU CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE LASCHET APPROACHING BALLOT BOX AND VOTING WITH 'X' MARKS ON BALLOT VISIBLE
  • Embargoed: 10th October 2021 12:53
  • Keywords: CDU German election Laschet Laschet voting
  • Location: AACHEN, GERMANY
  • City: AACHEN, GERMANY
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EWCU79J
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader and a top candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet cast his vote in Aachen on Sunday, however, his 'secret' vote was revealed due to him incorrectly folding the ballot.
    Laschet, who went to vote alongside his wife Susanne Laschet, posed for media while voting as is traditional for candidates to do - yet the 'X marks on his ballot were clearly visible in the boxes next to the CDU.
    This year's German national election was been deemed too close to call.
    The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have been mounting a strong challenge to retiring Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. Laschet's promise of "steadfastness" has not been resonating with voters worried about climate change, immigration, and the COVID-19 pandemic. The conservatives trailed the Social Democrats in the latest opinion polls despite narrowing the gap.
    Laschet's ratings have also suffered since he was caught on camera laughing during a visit to a flood-hit town in his home state of North-Rhine Westphalia in July.
    (Production: Stephane Nietschke, Andi Kranz, Thilo Schmuelgen, Barbara Woolsey)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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