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Germany election: Merkel wins fourth term, exit polls say Germany election: Merkel wins fourth term, exit polls say
(35 minutes later)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been re-elected for a fourth term in federal elections, exit polls suggest. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been re-elected for a fourth term while nationalists have made a historic breakthrough in federal elections, exit polls suggest.
Her conservative CDU/CSU alliance won 32.5% of the vote, remaining the largest party in Germany's parliament, according to the ARD poll. Her conservative CDU/CSU alliance is set to remain the largest party in the parliament, with 32.5% of the vote.
Its outgoing coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, said it would go into opposition after winning 20%. Its outgoing coalition partner, the social democratic SPD, says it will go into opposition after winning 20%.
In a result which shocked many, the nationalist AfD was on track to win 13.5%, making it the third party. The nationalist AfD is on track to become the third party, with 13.5%.
Addressing supporters, Mrs Merkel said she had hoped for a "better result" and talked about "extraordinary challenges". The performance, better than forecast in opinion polls, means the right-wing party will have seats in the Bundestag for the first time.
She would listen, she said, to the "concerns and anxieties" of AfD voters in order to win them back. What does the result mean for Mrs Merkel?
The numbers mean the SPD, led by Martin Schulz, has fallen to a new post-World War Two low. While her alliance has remained the largest party, the numbers, if confirmed, are the worst result for the alliance between the Christian Democrat (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) under Mrs Merkel's leadership.
Mr Schulz said the result was the end of the "grand coalition" with Mrs Merkel's alliance. Addressing supporters, Mrs Merkel said she had hoped for a "better result".
"It's a difficult and bitter day for social democrats in Germany," he told supporters. "We haven't reached our objective." She added that she would listen to the "concerns, worries and anxieties" of voters of the anti-immigration, anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) in order to win them back.
AfD's performance, better than forecast in opinion polls, means the right-wing party will have seats in the Bundestag for the first time. Mrs Merkel also said her government would have to deal with economic and security issues as well as addressing the root causes of migration - one of the main reasons behind AfD's result.
"Today we can say that we now have now a mandate to assume responsibility and we're going to assume this responsibility calmly, talking with our partners of course."
The projections suggest that six parties will be in the German parliament for the first time since World War Two.
What are her coalition options?
The exit polls suggest the Social Democrats (SPD), led by Martin Schulz, have fallen to a new post-World War Two low. He said the result meant the end of the "grand coalition" with Mrs Merkel's alliance.
"It's a difficult and bitter day for social democrats in Germany," Mr Schulz told supporters. "We haven't reached our objective."
With the possibility of an alliance with the SPD rejected, Mrs Merkel's options are narrow, and the process of forming a new coalition could take months.
The most likely scenario is of a "Jamaica" coalition, so-called because of the colours of Jamaica's flag. It includes the black CDU/CSU, the yellow, business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) - who are returning to parliament after a four-year hiatus - and the Greens.
It is not a marriage made in heaven, as the Greens want to phase out 20 coal-fired power plants and the FDP disagree, but it is the only formation that would guarantee enough seats in the new Bundestag, German broadcaster ZDF says.
What about the AfD?
The party has capitalised on a backlash against Mrs Merkel's welcome in 2015 for almost 900,000 undocumented refugees and migrants, many of them from war-torn, mainly Muslim countries like Syria.
The party's programme called for a ban on minarets and considers Islam incompatible with German culture, and several of its candidates have been linked to far-right remarks.
Prominent AfD figure Frauke Petry said on Twitter (in German) that Germany had experienced an incomparable "political earthquake".Prominent AfD figure Frauke Petry said on Twitter (in German) that Germany had experienced an incomparable "political earthquake".
The exit poll puts the Liberal FDP on 10.5%; the Greens on 9.5% and Die Linke (The Left) on 9%.
Mrs Merkel will now have to search for new coalition partners, a process that could take months.
A 'Jamaica' coalition?