Angela Merkel

The German Social Democratic Party (GSDP) won the Bundestag election, ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative bloc, the DPA reported, citing data posted on the federal election commission's website after the vote count.

The SDP receives 25.7 percent of the vote, its best result in years.

Germany braced for a period of political unpredictability on Sept. 27 after the Social Democrats narrowly won a general election but faced a rival claim to power from outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative camp.

Germans voted on Sept. 26 in one of the most unpredictable elections in its recent history, with Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats in a tight race for her crown as she prepares to leave the political stage.

The epochal election ushers in the end of 16 years in power for Merkel and places Germany, a byword for stability, in a new period of uncertainty.

Ljubljana – Europe is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the general election in Germany to see who or which coalition will lead the larget European economy in the future, the newspaper Delo says in Saturday’s front-page commentary, headlined Who Will Succeed Angela Merkel.

Sunday's election is undoubtedly crucial for Germany and for Europe as a whole. Not just because the Merkel era is coming to an end and, objectively, a sense of uncertainty concerning the next government has been created. Not just because of the parallel crisis that the two traditional parties in the country seem to be experiencing.

Turkey and Germany have special relations due to the millions of Turks who immigrated 60 years ago, German social democrat politician Olaf Scholz told daily Hürriyet in an interview days before the Bundestag elections that will end the 16-year rule of Christian Democrat Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Farewells

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (not in picture) during a press conference in Tirana, Albania, 14 September 2021. The German Chancellor is in Albania to participate in the Western Balkan Summit. EPA-EFE/MALTON DIBRA

Germany's credibility was always high in the Western Balkans, much of it due to Merkel, whose Germany has been crucial to shaping the debate on EU enlargement to the region.

However, in order to maintain this credibility, the next German government will have to adapt to new challenges and circumstances pertaining to the region.

Speaking about the attention Serbia attracted during Angela Merkel's visit to Serbia, Vui said that he did not think that only her visit caused that attention, but he added that Merkel's visit was very important for us.
"It is, I can't say, the crown of my political career, but it is certainly very important for me to meet Angela Merkel," said Vucic.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is to give her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament on Wednesday in the French city of Strasbourg. Likely talking points include her proposals to help tackle the climate crisis - set out in July - and frozen efforts to reform the bloc's migration system could also feature in her speech, dpa reported.