Closely fought German election ushers in post-Merkel era

Germany’s center-left Social Democrats were locked in a very close race on Sunday with outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bloc in the country’s parliamentary election, a vote that will determine who succeeds the long-time leader after 16 years in power, exit polls showed.

Officials from both parties said they hope to lead the next government.

An exit poll for ARD public television put voters’ support at 25% each for the Social Democrats — for whom outgoing Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz is running for chancellor — and Merkel’s center-right bloc under would-be successor state governor Armin Laschet.

Another exit poll for ZDF public television put the Social Democrats ahead by 26% to 24%. Both put the environmentalist Greens in third place with about 15% support.

The electoral system typically produces coalition governments but post-World War II Germany has never previously seen a winning party take less than 31% of the vote -- or the Union bloc score less than that.

Merkel will remain as a caretaker leader until a new government is in place.

The exit polls also put support for the business-friendly Free Democrats at 11-12% and the Left Party at 5%. The far-right Alternative for Germany party — which no other party wants to work with — was seen winning up to 11% of the vote.

By the time this newspaper went to print, votes were being counted.

About 60.4 million people in the nation of 83 million were eligible to elect the new Bundestag, or lower house of parliament, which will elect the next head of government.

Merkel won’t be an easy leader to follow, for she has won plaudits for steering Germany through several major crises. Her successor will have to tend the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, which Germany so far has weathered relatively well thanks to large rescue programs.