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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Angela Merkel celebrates after German election | Angela Merkel celebrates after German election |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Angela Merkel has urged her party to celebrate "a super result" after exit polls suggested she was set to win a third term as German chancellor. | Angela Merkel has urged her party to celebrate "a super result" after exit polls suggested she was set to win a third term as German chancellor. |
| Her conservatives took about 42% of the vote, according to exit polls. | |
| But Mrs Merkel's preferred coalition is at risk, as her Free Democrat partners appear not have secured the 5% needed to enter parliament. | But Mrs Merkel's preferred coalition is at risk, as her Free Democrat partners appear not have secured the 5% needed to enter parliament. |
| She may, therefore, be forced to seek a grand coalition with the Social Democrats - estimated to have won 26%. | She may, therefore, be forced to seek a grand coalition with the Social Democrats - estimated to have won 26%. |
| Exit polls for ARD public television put the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) on 4.7%, which if confirmed would be a disaster for the junior coalition partner, leaving it with no national representation in parliament. | Exit polls for ARD public television put the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) on 4.7%, which if confirmed would be a disaster for the junior coalition partner, leaving it with no national representation in parliament. |
| Senior party member Christian Lindner called it "the bitterest hour". | Senior party member Christian Lindner called it "the bitterest hour". |
| The FDP was beaten by the Green Party (8%) and the former communist Left Party (8.5%), and even, according to exit polls, the new Alternative fuer Deutschland, which advocates withdrawal from the euro currency and took 4.9%, just short of the parliamentary threshold. | The FDP was beaten by the Green Party (8%) and the former communist Left Party (8.5%), and even, according to exit polls, the new Alternative fuer Deutschland, which advocates withdrawal from the euro currency and took 4.9%, just short of the parliamentary threshold. |
| There was some speculation on German television that Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister CSU might even win enough seats for an absolute majority - the first in half a century - if both the FDP and AfD fail to make it into parliament. | |
| 'Something fantastic' | 'Something fantastic' |
| Mrs Merkel addressed jubilant supporters at CDU headquarters. After waiting for chants of "Angie, Angie" to die down, she told them: "This is a super result." | |
| "We can celebrate tonight because we have done something fantastic." | "We can celebrate tonight because we have done something fantastic." |
| But, in a reference to coalition building, she said it was "too early to say exactly what we'll do". | But, in a reference to coalition building, she said it was "too early to say exactly what we'll do". |
| "We have a clear mandate from voters to form a government," said Volker Kauder, leader of the CDU's parliamentary group. The outcome showed that "voters want Angela Merkel to remain chancellor" for a third term, he said. | "We have a clear mandate from voters to form a government," said Volker Kauder, leader of the CDU's parliamentary group. The outcome showed that "voters want Angela Merkel to remain chancellor" for a third term, he said. |
| Mrs Merkel has made clear she would be prepared to work with the Social Democrats (SPD) in a grand coalition, as she did in 2005-09. | Mrs Merkel has made clear she would be prepared to work with the Social Democrats (SPD) in a grand coalition, as she did in 2005-09. |
| The SPD has been more reluctant to consider linking up with the CDU/CSU again. The party leader, Peer Steinbrueck, was finance minister in the previous grand coalition, but has said he would not serve in such a government again. | |
| After the exit polls were released, but before official results were confirmed, Mr Steinbrueck conceded that it would be up to Mrs Merkel to decide how to proceed saying: "The ball is in Mrs Merkel's court. She has to get herself a majority." | After the exit polls were released, but before official results were confirmed, Mr Steinbrueck conceded that it would be up to Mrs Merkel to decide how to proceed saying: "The ball is in Mrs Merkel's court. She has to get herself a majority." |
| The BBC's Chris Morris, at Social Democrat headquarters, said Mr Steinbrueck was putting a brave face on it but the atmosphere was subdued. | The BBC's Chris Morris, at Social Democrat headquarters, said Mr Steinbrueck was putting a brave face on it but the atmosphere was subdued. |
| The SPD would have preferred to enter a coalition with the Green Party, but does not appear to have the votes to do so, and has ruled out a three-way alliance including the Left Party (Die Linke). | The SPD would have preferred to enter a coalition with the Green Party, but does not appear to have the votes to do so, and has ruled out a three-way alliance including the Left Party (Die Linke). |
| Analysts think the SPD will probably agree to a coalition with the CDU/CSU. | |
| Turnout appeared to be higher than at the last federal election. At 14:00 (12:00 GMT) it measured 41.4% of eligible voters, compared to 36.1% at the same point in 2009. | Turnout appeared to be higher than at the last federal election. At 14:00 (12:00 GMT) it measured 41.4% of eligible voters, compared to 36.1% at the same point in 2009. |