BERLIN: Centre-left Social Democrats have won the largest share of the vote in Germany’s national election, defeating outgoing Chancellor Angela. Merkelof the centre-right Union Bloc in a closely contested race.
Election officials said early Monday that a count of all 299 constituencies showed the Social Democrats won 25.9% of the vote, ahead of 24.1% for the Union bloc.
environmentalist greens came third with 14.8%, followed by pro-business Free Democrats with 11.5%. Both the parties have already indicated that they are ready to discuss a three-way alliance with either of their two big rivals to form the government.
The far-right alternative to Germany came fourth in Sunday’s poll with 10.3%, while the Left took 4.9%.
Officials said Denmark’s minority party SSW was set to win a seat in parliament for the first time since 1949.
The Chancellor of Germany is not directly elected, but is elected through a vote. BundestagAfter the formation of the government, the lower house of the Parliament. Merkel could remain in office for weeks if not months, while the parties try to forge a coalition.
After years of a two-party coalition, this time three parties would be needed to achieve a majority – common in Germany’s regional parliaments but not seen at the national level since the 1950s.
In most parliamentary systems, the head of state nominates one party to form the government – usually the party that wins the largest share of the vote.
But in Germany, all parties can initiate what is known as “exploratory negotiations”.
At this early stage, which has no time limit, there is nothing to prevent the parties from holding coalition talks in parallel – although tradition dictates that the largest party will invite the smaller ones for discussion.
but armin lashetThe chancellor candidate for Merkel’s centre-right CDU-CSU bloc said on Sunday that “we will do everything” to lead the conservative next government, even after preliminary results left her behind the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). Gave. .
His SPD rival, Olaf Scholz, the country’s finance minister, said voters wanted a change and that “the next chancellor will be called Olaf Scholz”.
The Greens have already called a party congress for Saturday, October 2, during which they can decide with whom they will hold exploratory talks.
The parties will hold leadership meetings on Monday, the day after the election. Newly elected MPs from each party will also hold their first meeting next week, with the SPD and CDU-CSU planning to convene on Tuesday.
The pro-business FDP party, which could play the role of kingmaker like the Greens, has said it has a preference for an alliance with conservatives and the Greens, but a three-way alliance with the SPD and the Greens also remains on the table.
The newly elected parliament should hold its inaugural session on 26 October, 30 days after the election.
If two or three parties agree in principle that they want to form a coalition, they should initiate formal coalition talks, with various working groups meeting to resolve policy issues.
At the end of these negotiations, the parties decide who will be in charge of which ministry and the coalition will sign the contract, a rough document setting out the terms of the agreement.
There is no time limit for this phase also, meanwhile the outgoing government has occupied the fort.
The parties then nominate who they want to be chancellor before an official vote in the Bundestag.
After Germany’s last election on 24 September 2017, Merkel was formally confirmed chancellor only on 14 March 2018 in a coalition between the CDU-CSU and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).
According to Article 63 of the German Constitution, the head of state must propose a possible chancellor of the Bundestag.
If no cross-party coalition emerges, SPD chairman Frank-Walter Steinmeier can still nominate a potential chancellor, most likely whichever party won the largest share of the vote.
Parliament would then vote in a secret ballot, requiring the candidate to have an absolute majority.
If this is not achieved, a second vote will take place two weeks later. If there is still no absolute majority, an immediate third vote takes place in which the relative majority is sufficient.
The President then decides whether to appoint the Chancellor as the head of the minority government, or to dissolve the Bundestag and call new elections.
This worst-case scenario was avoided in 2017: facing a deadlock in talks, Steinmeier urged the parties to meet again, insisting on a renewal of the so-called Grand Alliance.
Election officials said early Monday that a count of all 299 constituencies showed the Social Democrats won 25.9% of the vote, ahead of 24.1% for the Union bloc.
environmentalist greens came third with 14.8%, followed by pro-business Free Democrats with 11.5%. Both the parties have already indicated that they are ready to discuss a three-way alliance with either of their two big rivals to form the government.
The far-right alternative to Germany came fourth in Sunday’s poll with 10.3%, while the Left took 4.9%.
Officials said Denmark’s minority party SSW was set to win a seat in parliament for the first time since 1949.
The Chancellor of Germany is not directly elected, but is elected through a vote. BundestagAfter the formation of the government, the lower house of the Parliament. Merkel could remain in office for weeks if not months, while the parties try to forge a coalition.
After years of a two-party coalition, this time three parties would be needed to achieve a majority – common in Germany’s regional parliaments but not seen at the national level since the 1950s.
In most parliamentary systems, the head of state nominates one party to form the government – usually the party that wins the largest share of the vote.
But in Germany, all parties can initiate what is known as “exploratory negotiations”.
At this early stage, which has no time limit, there is nothing to prevent the parties from holding coalition talks in parallel – although tradition dictates that the largest party will invite the smaller ones for discussion.
but armin lashetThe chancellor candidate for Merkel’s centre-right CDU-CSU bloc said on Sunday that “we will do everything” to lead the conservative next government, even after preliminary results left her behind the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). Gave. .
His SPD rival, Olaf Scholz, the country’s finance minister, said voters wanted a change and that “the next chancellor will be called Olaf Scholz”.
The Greens have already called a party congress for Saturday, October 2, during which they can decide with whom they will hold exploratory talks.
The parties will hold leadership meetings on Monday, the day after the election. Newly elected MPs from each party will also hold their first meeting next week, with the SPD and CDU-CSU planning to convene on Tuesday.
The pro-business FDP party, which could play the role of kingmaker like the Greens, has said it has a preference for an alliance with conservatives and the Greens, but a three-way alliance with the SPD and the Greens also remains on the table.
The newly elected parliament should hold its inaugural session on 26 October, 30 days after the election.
If two or three parties agree in principle that they want to form a coalition, they should initiate formal coalition talks, with various working groups meeting to resolve policy issues.
At the end of these negotiations, the parties decide who will be in charge of which ministry and the coalition will sign the contract, a rough document setting out the terms of the agreement.
There is no time limit for this phase also, meanwhile the outgoing government has occupied the fort.
The parties then nominate who they want to be chancellor before an official vote in the Bundestag.
After Germany’s last election on 24 September 2017, Merkel was formally confirmed chancellor only on 14 March 2018 in a coalition between the CDU-CSU and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).
According to Article 63 of the German Constitution, the head of state must propose a possible chancellor of the Bundestag.
If no cross-party coalition emerges, SPD chairman Frank-Walter Steinmeier can still nominate a potential chancellor, most likely whichever party won the largest share of the vote.
Parliament would then vote in a secret ballot, requiring the candidate to have an absolute majority.
If this is not achieved, a second vote will take place two weeks later. If there is still no absolute majority, an immediate third vote takes place in which the relative majority is sufficient.
The President then decides whether to appoint the Chancellor as the head of the minority government, or to dissolve the Bundestag and call new elections.
This worst-case scenario was avoided in 2017: facing a deadlock in talks, Steinmeier urged the parties to meet again, insisting on a renewal of the so-called Grand Alliance.
.