- Title: Polling stations close and votes counted in German election
- Date: 24th September 2017
- Summary: WUERSELEN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 24, 2017) (REUTERS) ELECTION OFFICIAL UNLOCKING BOX WITH VOTES IN IT ELECTION OFFICIAL EMPTYING BALLOTS ON TABLE ELECTION OFFICIAL HOLDING UP BOX TO SHOW IT'S EMPTY BALLOTS ON TABLE ELECTION WORKER LOOKING AT REGISTER, ELECTION WORKERS OPENED BALLOTS ON TABLE VARIOUS OF ELECTION WORKERS SORTING BALLOTS
- Embargoed: 8th October 2017 18:35
- Keywords: German election voting polling stations close vote counting Chancellor Angela Merkel SPD AfD
- Location: WUERSELEN, GERMANY
- City: WUERSELEN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0016ZYE62V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chancellor Angela Merkel won a fourth term in office on Sunday (September 24) but will have to build an uneasy coalition to form a German government after her conservatives haemorrhaged support in the face of a surge by the far-right.
The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) stunned the establishment by winning 13.1 per cent of the vote, projected results showed, a result that will bring a far-right party into parliament for the first time in more than half a century.
Merkel's conservative bloc emerged as the largest parliamentary party but, with just 33.2 per cent of the vote, saw its support slump to the lowest since 1949 - the first time national elections were held in post-war Germany.
Her main Social Democrat rivals also received their worst result since the 1940s -- just 20.8 per cent -- after nearly half of voters repudiated the two parties that have dominated Germany since World War Two.
With parliament now fragmented, Merkel appears likely to cobble together a tricky three-way coalition with a pro-business group and the Greens. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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