Angela Merkel Clinches Fourth Term, Far Right Gains Parliamentary Seats…

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to return for a fourth consecutive term in office in an election that witnessed a far-right party AfD gaining a foothold in the German parliament, according to the official exit polls.

The anti-Muslim and antiimmigration AfD had won 13.5 per cent of the vote – not different from what the initial prognosis of the election had hinted. With the historic result, its first in half a century, it has officially become the third largest party in the Bundestag, to the consternation of many. The prognosis came in at about 5.10pm Nigerian time (and 6.10pm local time).

The ARD poll further confirmed that Merkel’s conservative CDU/ CSU alliance had won 32.5% of the vote, thus retaining its position as the largest party in Germany’s parliament.

But its former coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, has opted go into opposition after hitting a historic low of just 20 per cent, its worst showing since the Second World War. Its leader Martin Schulz had ruled out any possibility of the party going back into coalition with Ms Merkel. This decision leaves the Chancellor with the possible option of going into coalition with the liberals and the Greens – the so called “Jamaica Coalition” because the colour of the parties is similar to the Caribbean country’s flag.

This would be the first time such a coalition would be formed at German national level. But such hurriedly cobbled coalition have sometimes occurred in Germany’s state parliaments.

In her address to her party’s supporters, Mrs Merkel said she had hoped for a “better result” while talking about “extraordinary challenges” and promising to listen to the “concerns and anxieties” of AfD voters in order to win them back.

In her speech following the release of the exit poll, Ms Merkel attacked “illicit migration”, promising that “internal and domestic security” would be one of the focuses of coming months – an apparent nod to the AfD’s priorities.

Meanwhile, the election saw small parties improving on their 2013 performance, with the liberal FDP returning to the Bundestag with 10.5 per cent of the vote, the Greens clinching 9.5 per cent, and the left-wing Die Linke on 9 per cent.

Both the turnout and voter participation seem to have improved since the previous election.

Mr Schulz’s decision to drop the coalition with Ms Merkel – a pact that has cause rifts within the SPD– was informed by his wish to see Ms Merkel replaced as chancellor.