Tight exit polls in Germany point to long battle over forging post-Merkel government
BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats on Sunday appeared headed for their worst-ever election result, setting the scene for what could be weeks of uncertainty over what a post-Merkel government might look like.
An initial exit poll that flashed up in front of party officials at Konrad Adenauer Haus put the center-right conservatives at 25 percent of the vote, a drop of eight points from their results four years ago. But as votes were counted, projected results had them falling two percentage points behind their traditional center-left rival.
The election results will shape the future of policy not only in Berlin, but across Europe, where Merkel’s veteran hand will be absent as she moves into retirement. But the exit polls suggest long negotiations to build a new government, with no easy path to a majority coalition in parliament for either of the leading parties: the Christian Democrats or the center-left Social Democrats.
The wrangling comes amid a challenging backdrop for Germany and the European Union, including questions of how to steer the bloc’s finances after the coronavirus pandemic and coordinate the continent’s stance toward Russia and China.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/germany-election-merkel-chancellor/2021/09/26/aa711c8a-1b16-11ec-bea8-308ea134594f_story.html