Election reforms in Germany
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Germany’s two main parties are in a state of disarray after Sunday’s election, according to a preliminary poll to determine who will succeed Angela Merkel as Europe’s top economist.
A survey released by the ARD public broadcaster put all the remnants between the Social Democrats and CDU / CSU on the right between 25%, and the Greens at 15% and the Free Democrats (FDP) at 11%.
Another poll released by the ZDF put the Social Democrats ahead of 26%, the CDU / CSU at 24%, the Greens at 14.5% and the FDP at 12%.
Preliminary results indicate that Germany has established the alliance, the first in recent history. This will include weeks and months of struggle as the parties resolve their differences to form a united government.
However, it is unclear what form the alliance will take, and whether the next German government will be led by the SPD, with its deputy chancellor Olaf Scholz, the current finance minister, or Armin Laschet’s CDU / CSU.
“I’m done filming,” said Markus Blume, secretary general of CSU, the Bavarian sister party of Laschet’s CDU.
Sunday’s election was the first in German history after the war when a chancellor who had never been present did not stand for election, making the race unsettled and unpredictable. All major parties – SPD, CDU / CSU and Greens – have seen a ten-point exchange in their analysis since the beginning of the year.
Merkel’s departure meant millions of voters who voted for her in previous elections but did not trust the CDU / CSU.
“It simply came to our notice then. At this stage, we cannot say who will win, “CDU general secretary Paul Ziemiak told ARD minutes after the release of the study, adding that the most important question is who will form the government.
Additional reports of Olaf Storbeck in Frankfurt