Germany is headed for weeks, if not months, of protracted coalition haggling as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives insisted on Sept. 27 on trying to form a government even after losing to the Social Democrats in a tight race. Watch this report for more details.

Germany in political limbo after SPD narrow win

Angela Merkel's Conservatives registered their worst performance in the recently concluded national elections. The Social Democrats led by Olaf Scholz appear to have an advantage in securing a majority coalition. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas US Edition: Merkel's Conservatives beaten in tight election

After the cards were dealt, Germany's fraught election night had apparently left two options on the table: Either center-left Social Democrat (SPD) Olaf Scholz will preside over a coalition with the Green Party and the pro-free market Free Democrats (FDP), or center-right Christian Democrat (CDU) Armin Laschet will get the chance to do so. Watch this report for more details.

Germany's Green party and FDP emerge as kingmakers

In an exclusive conversation with WION, Ambassador Gurjit Singh, former Indian envoy shares his assessment over Germany's government formation, listen in.

Who will succeed Angela Merkel? Indian ambassador Gurjit Singh shares his assessment

Germany looks set for a three-way coalition in Berlin after one of the country’s most significant federal elections in recent years. Germany’s Social Democrats hold narrow lead in the race to succeed Angela Merkel.

Germany: Social Democrats hold a narrow lead

Social Democrats (SPD) headed by Olaf Scholz won German federal elections narrowly as per official prliminary results. They bagged&nbsp;25.7 per cent votes. They beat Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives who bagged 24.1 per cent votes. The Green Party got 14.8 per cent votes&nbsp;followed by the liberal FDP at 11.5 percent. The far-right&nbsp;Alternative for Germany bagged&nbsp;10.3 percent votes.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-spd-secretary-general-says-we-have-mandate-to-govern-416203">Also Read:&nbsp;German SPD secretary-general says, 'we have mandate to govern'</a>

However, neither SPD not Merkel's CDU/CSU is&nbsp;likely to get a majority as both said they were targeting coalitions. Opinion polls earlier had suggested a knife-edge battle between the two arch-rivals.

The new leader will take over the reins from Chancellor Angela Merkel who had expressed her intention to step down after the elections after 16 years at the top.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-federal-elections-2021-what-you-need-to-know-about-race-for-chancellor-416151">Also Read:&nbsp;German elections: What you need to know about race for chancellor</a>

Armin Laschet, 60, was pushed by Angela Merkel as her likely successor, however, Olaf Scholz the leader of the SPD is now the favourite to succeed Merkel. Scholz who is widely known for his tenacity has been the finance minister and vice-chancellor under Merkel.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polls-open-in-germany-to-elect-new-chancellor-spd-cdu-csu-in-tight-race-416095">Also Read: Germany to elect new chancellor, polls predict tight race</a>

The party which comes to power finally will have the task to continue the battle against the virus and keep Germany's economy rolling.&nbsp;

The fight for the top job is however far from over as both Laschet &amp; Scholz expressed their desire to cobble a coaltion before Christmas.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Social Democrats (SPD) headed by Olaf Scholz won German federal elections narrowly as per official prliminary results. They bagged 25.7 per cent votes. They beat Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives who bagged 24.

Social Democrats (SPD) headed by Olaf Scholz won German federal elections narrowly as per official prliminary results. They bagged 25.7 per cent votes. They beat Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives who bagged 24.1 per cent votes. The Green Party got 14.8 per cent votes followed by the liberal FDP at 11.5 percent. The far-right Alternative for Germany bagged 10.3 percent votes. Also Read: German SPD secretary-general says, 'we have mandate to govern' However, neither SPD not Merkel's CDU/CSU is likely to get a majority as both said they were targeting coalitions. Opinion polls earlier had suggested a knife-edge battle between the two arch-rivals. The new leader will take over the reins from Chancellor Angela Merkel who had expressed her intention to step down after the elections after 16 years at the top. Also Read: German elections: What you need to know about race for chancellor Armin Laschet, 60, was pushed by Angela Merkel as her likely successor, however, Olaf Scholz the leader of the SPD is now the favourite to succeed Merkel. Scholz who is widely known for his tenacity has been the finance minister and vice-chancellor under Merkel. Also Read: Germany to elect new chancellor, polls predict tight race The party which comes to power finally will have the task to continue the battle against the virus and keep Germany's economy rolling. The fight for the top job is however far from over as both Laschet & Scholz expressed their desire to cobble a coaltion before Christmas. (With inputs from Agencies)

German elections: SPD registers narrow victory over CDU-CSU alliance; coalition likely

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD, as per German name) registered a narrow victory in German federal elections 2021. SPD's Olaf Scholz's image has got a big boost as compared to Armin Laschet who was favoured face of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel's CDU/CSU (Christian Democratic Union/ Christian Social Union) alliance could not repeat its performance in 2017 elections and lost ground to other parties.

Here is the vote share of main parties as per preliminary official results

SPD (Centre-left): 25.7 per cent 
CDU/CSU (Centre-right): 24.1 per cent 
Green Party (Pro-environment): 14.8 per cent 
Free Democratic Party (FDP) (Pro-business): 11.5 per cent 
Alternative for Germany (AfD) (Far right): 10.3 per cent

Final official results will be published in a few weeks.

The Green Party registered their best performance yet. Though its candidate for chancellery Annalena Baerbock may not become chancellor, the party may prove to be a kingmaker. Green Party's performance shows that voters were concerned about environmental issues like Climate Change.

Since the difference of votes between SPD and CDU/CSU is not too large, it can be said at present that both parties have a chance to form a government but with help from smaller parties. Neither of these parties has a majority on their own.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-spd-secretary-general-says-we-have-mandate-to-govern-416203">German SPD secretary-general says, 'we have mandate to govern'</a>

Neither the SPD nor the CDU-CSU want a repeat of the left-right "grand coalition" that has featured in three of Merkel's four governments.&nbsp;

Both, CDU and SPD have claimed that they have got a mandate to form government and lead the coalition as senior partner.

<img alt="Armin Laschet" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4c574601-bd7a-482f-8e24-398bf707605b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Laschet.JPG" />

(Armin Laschet, CDU/CSU candidate for the post of chancellor)

Although parties are now trying to stitch up a coalition, all of them have refused to include far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) among them.

Polls over, what next?

German chancellor is elected by members of parliament from themselves. However, election for chancellor will not take place right away. Ruling coalition must be formed first. The negotiations could take weeks.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-federal-elections-2021-what-you-need-to-know-about-race-for-chancellor-416151">German federal elections 2021: What you need to know about race for chancellor</a>

This time, it seems very likely that a three-party coalition will form the government. If it happens, it will be departure from post-Second World War tradition of two-party coalition governments.

When the ruling coalition is formed, the partners will draft coalition agreement. It is in this agreement that the coalition partners will name new chancellor who will then be elected by vote in the parliament.

Decrease in CDU/CSU vote share

CDU/CSU bloc's vote share fell below 30 per cent for the first time in seven decades. Though Angela Merkel remains Germany's most popular politician, it remains to be seen whether her relative absence from campaigning had any effect on decrease in vote share.

She had supported Armin Lachet to be Germany's next chancellor. Laschet even had high approval ratings months before election. But series of blunders saw his popularity wane. These include getting caught on camera laughing in a ceremony to honour those who lost lives in Germany's recent floods.

In contrast, Olaf Scholz ran an error-free campaign that saw his approval ratings rise than what they were at the start of the race.

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD, as per German name) registered a narrow victory in German federal elections 2021. SPD's Olaf Scholz's image has got a big boost as compared to Armin Laschet who was favoured face of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD, as per German name) registered a narrow victory in German federal elections 2021. SPD's Olaf Scholz's image has got a big boost as compared to Armin Laschet who was favoured face of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel. Merkel's CDU/CSU (Christian Democratic Union/ Christian Social Union) alliance could not repeat its performance in 2017 elections and lost ground to other parties. Here is the vote share of main parties as per preliminary official results SPD (Centre-left): 25.7 per cent CDU/CSU (Centre-right): 24.1 per cent Green Party (Pro-environment): 14.8 per cent Free Democratic Party (FDP) (Pro-business): 11.5 per cent Alternative for Germany (AfD) (Far right): 10.3 per cent Final official results will be published in a few weeks. The Green Party registered their best performance yet. Though its candidate for chancellery Annalena Baerbock may not become chancellor, the party may prove to be a kingmaker. Green Party's performance shows that voters were concerned about environmental issues like Climate Change. Since the difference of votes between SPD and CDU/CSU is not too large, it can be said at present that both parties have a chance to form a government but with help from smaller parties. Neither of these parties has a majority on their own. Also Read | German SPD secretary-general says, 'we have mandate to govern' Neither the SPD nor the CDU-CSU want a repeat of the left-right "grand coalition" that has featured in three of Merkel's four governments. Both, CDU and SPD have claimed that they have got a mandate to form government and lead the coalition as senior partner. (Armin Laschet, CDU/CSU candidate for the post of chancellor) Although parties are now trying to stitch up a coalition, all of them have refused to include far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) among them. Polls over, what next? German chancellor is elected by members of parliament from themselves. However, election for chancellor will not take place right away. Ruling coalition must be formed first. The negotiations could take weeks. Also Read | German federal elections 2021: What you need to know about race for chancellor This time, it seems very likely that a three-party coalition will form the government. If it happens, it will be departure from post-Second World War tradition of two-party coalition governments. When the ruling coalition is formed, the partners will draft coalition agreement. It is in this agreement that the coalition partners will name new chancellor who will then be elected by vote in the parliament. Decrease in CDU/CSU vote share CDU/CSU bloc's vote share fell below 30 per cent for the first time in seven decades. Though Angela Merkel remains Germany's most popular politician, it remains to be seen whether her relative absence from campaigning had any effect on decrease in vote share. She had supported Armin Lachet to be Germany's next chancellor. Laschet even had high approval ratings months before election. But series of blunders saw his popularity wane. These include getting caught on camera laughing in a ceremony to honour those who lost lives in Germany's recent floods. In contrast, Olaf Scholz ran an error-free campaign that saw his approval ratings rise than what they were at the start of the race.

Not over till it's over: Gruelling coalition talks await post-Merkel Germany after polls

Germany's Social Democrats narrowly won Sunday's national election, projected results showed, and claimed a "clear mandate" to lead a government for the first time since 2005 and to end 16 years of conservative-led rule under Angela Merkel. Watch this report for more details.

German Social Democrats beat conservatives in vote to decide Merkel successor

The fight to succeed popular, long-serving chancellor Angela Merkel could barely be tighter as Germans go to the polls in parliamentary elections. Watch this report for more details.

Germany: Outcome uncertain, coalition government likely

As Chancellor Angela Merkel prepares to step down from the political stage and Germans vote in&nbsp;federal (Bundestag) elections,&nbsp;all bets appear to be off as to who will be the next chancellor.

The contest, which once seemed clear, now appears to be close. So much so that Merkel, who had initially preferred to stay away from the campaign fray, had to enter the field to shore up ratings for her would-be successor Armin Laschet. This time the Bundestag is expected to expand more than its minimum size of 598 seats.

Here's a look at who is in the race to be next chancellor of Germany

Armin Laschet (Party: CDU/CSU)

<img alt="Armin Laschet" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7a4f5d0b-89d5-490b-9a35-0eb1a79740ac" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9NJ9TE.jpg" />

Armin Laschet (60) enjoys support from Angela Merkel to be the next chancellor of Germany. He is Merkel's party colleague within Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU). He is Minister-President of Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region.

Laschet's&nbsp;approval ratings were high in months leading to German election but series of blunders saw his popularity wane. These included getting caught on camera laughing in the background during a tribute to the victims of the recent devastating floods in Germany.

Merkel herself had to enter the campaign fray to shore-up support for her favoured candidate.

Olaf Scholz (Party: SPD)

<img alt="Olaf Scholz" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fd63303f-3f84-454c-95c8-1763f61ccb60" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9NG2X2.jpg" />

Olaf Scholz (63) is the current vice-chacellor and finance minister of Germany. He belongs to Social Democratic Party (German: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands or SPD).

His approval ratings were low at the start of the race but rose as he avoided making embarrassing mistakes like Laschet.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/farewell-angela-merkel-you-were-once-the-leader-of-the-free-world-415832">Farewell, Angela Merkel. You were once the ‘Leader of the Free World</a>

 
Annalena Baerbock (Green Party)

<img alt="Annalena Baerbock" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c16dedbc-e3be-497b-bafd-8ab648a10fe0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9NG3D2.jpg" />

Annalena Baerbock is the chancellor candidate from Green Party. At one point, Baerbock even took lead as the most favourite candidate in opinion polls.

But after a series of missteps by Baerbock, including a plagiarism scandal, the Greens are now polling well behind the two leading parties on around 17 per cent.

While the chancellery may be out of reach for the party, it will likely have a role in Germany's next government.

How do German elections work?

<img alt="German elections" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4d4091d1-0dc3-4ed9-93c3-769c060c4f55" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9NK273.jpg" />

Voters do not directly elect the chancellor. Elected members of the parliament decide who the chancellor will be from among them.

Each German voter has two votes. First vote decides who will represent a region in the parliament. Second vote elects the party and decides the makeup of the parliament. The party with the most votes gets to send more number of candidates to the parliament.

For example, if a party scores three direct seats through the first vote but is eligible for 10 seats overall through the second vote, seven more names on the party's candidate list (published before the elections)&nbsp;are also given seats. The candidate list published before the elections has candidates for each of the 16 states. Those higher on the list have better chance of securing a parliament seat.

A complication arises when the direct and party votes are out of balance because voters "split" their ballot. This happens when a voter votes for a candidate from a particular party but prefers a different party in his or her second vote.

This time, the Bundestag is expected to expand more than its minimum size of 598 seats as more voters are expected to split their votes.

This year, there are 47 political parties taking part in the elections.

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Opinion polls show the race for the chancellery is headed for a photo finish, with Merkel's CDU-CSU conservative alliance on around 23 per cent, just behind the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) at 25 per cent -- well within the margin of error.

Who can vote?

Individuals above 18 years of age, having German citizenship and having lived in the country for an uninterrupted period of at least three months are eligible to vote. Mail-in vote is allowed for Germans living abroad.&nbsp;

People who hold German passports but haven't lived in Germany for more than 25 years cannot vote.

As per German government's statistics, 60.4 million Germans are eligible to vote this time. There are 2.8 million first time voters. These are the voters who do not remember any chancellor other than Angela Merkel.

Voter participation four years ago stood at 76.2 percent, up nearly five points from 2013 and higher than in many other Western democracies.

This year, 33 per cent of the candidates for the Bundestag, which ultimately elects the chancellor, are female -- a post-war record.

When will the result be known?

After voting concludes at 1600 GMT (9:30 pm IST) on September 26, counting of votes will begin. The counting will continue well into the night.

Provisional results are expected on the morning of September 27. But official results won't be published until several weeks later.&nbsp;

How did things stand after 2017 elections?

Here is where things stood after the 2017 election:

Christian Democratic Union (CDU) / Christian Social Union (CSU): 32.9 percent - 246 seats

Social Democratic Party (SPD): 20.5 percent - 153 seats

Alternative for Germany (AfD): 12.6 percent - 94 seats

Free Democrats (FDP): 10.7 percent - 80 seats

Die Linke: 9.2 percent - 69 seats

Greens: 8.9 percent - 67 seats

(With inputs from agencies)

As Chancellor Angela Merkel prepares to step down from the political stage and Germans vote in federal (Bundestag) elections, all bets appear to be off as to who will be the next chancellor.

As Chancellor Angela Merkel prepares to step down from the political stage and Germans vote in federal (Bundestag) elections, all bets appear to be off as to who will be the next chancellor. The contest, which once seemed clear, now appears to be close. So much so that Merkel, who had initially preferred to stay away from the campaign fray, had to enter the field to shore up ratings for her would-be successor Armin Laschet. This time the Bundestag is expected to expand more than its minimum size of 598 seats. Here's a look at who is in the race to be next chancellor of Germany Armin Laschet (Party: CDU/CSU) Armin Laschet (60) enjoys support from Angela Merkel to be the next chancellor of Germany. He is Merkel's party colleague within Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU). He is Minister-President of Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region. Laschet's approval ratings were high in months leading to German election but series of blunders saw his popularity wane. These included getting caught on camera laughing in the background during a tribute to the victims of the recent devastating floods in Germany. Merkel herself had to enter the campaign fray to shore-up support for her favoured candidate. Olaf Scholz (Party: SPD) Olaf Scholz (63) is the current vice-chacellor and finance minister of Germany. He belongs to Social Democratic Party (German: Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands or SPD). His approval ratings were low at the start of the race but rose as he avoided making embarrassing mistakes like Laschet. Also Read | Farewell, Angela Merkel. You were once the ‘Leader of the Free World Annalena Baerbock (Green Party) Annalena Baerbock is the chancellor candidate from Green Party. At one point, Baerbock even took lead as the most favourite candidate in opinion polls. But after a series of missteps by Baerbock, including a plagiarism scandal, the Greens are now polling well behind the two leading parties on around 17 per cent. While the chancellery may be out of reach for the party, it will likely have a role in Germany's next government. How do German elections work? Voters do not directly elect the chancellor. Elected members of the parliament decide who the chancellor will be from among them. Each German voter has two votes. First vote decides who will represent a region in the parliament. Second vote elects the party and decides the makeup of the parliament. The party with the most votes gets to send more number of candidates to the parliament. For example, if a party scores three direct seats through the first vote but is eligible for 10 seats overall through the second vote, seven more names on the party's candidate list (published before the elections) are also given seats. The candidate list published before the elections has candidates for each of the 16 states. Those higher on the list have better chance of securing a parliament seat. A complication arises when the direct and party votes are out of balance because voters "split" their ballot. This happens when a voter votes for a candidate from a particular party but prefers a different party in his or her second vote. This time, the Bundestag is expected to expand more than its minimum size of 598 seats as more voters are expected to split their votes. This year, there are 47 political parties taking part in the elections. × Opinion polls show the race for the chancellery is headed for a photo finish, with Merkel's CDU-CSU conservative alliance on around 23 per cent, just behind the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) at 25 per cent -- well within the margin of error. Who can vote? Individuals above 18 years of age, having German citizenship and having lived in the country for an uninterrupted period of at least three months are eligible to vote. Mail-in vote is allowed for Germans living abroad. People who hold German passports but haven't lived in Germany for more than 25 years cannot vote. As per German government's statistics, 60.4 million Germans are eligible to vote this time. There are 2.8 million first time voters. These are the voters who do not remember any chancellor other than Angela Merkel. Voter participation four years ago stood at 76.2 percent, up nearly five points from 2013 and higher than in many other Western democracies. This year, 33 per cent of the candidates for the Bundestag, which ultimately elects the chancellor, are female -- a post-war record. When will the result be known? After voting concludes at 1600 GMT (9:30 pm IST) on September 26, counting of votes will begin. The counting will continue well into the night. Provisional results are expected on the morning of September 27. But official results won't be published until several weeks later. How did things stand after 2017 elections? Here is where things stood after the 2017 election: Christian Democratic Union (CDU) / Christian Social Union (CSU): 32.9 percent - 246 seats Social Democratic Party (SPD): 20.5 percent - 153 seats Alternative for Germany (AfD): 12.6 percent - 94 seats Free Democrats (FDP): 10.7 percent - 80 seats Die Linke: 9.2 percent - 69 seats Greens: 8.9 percent - 67 seats (With inputs from agencies)

German federal elections 2021: What you need to know about race for chancellor

Germans began voting in the national elections on Sunday in a tight race between Social Democrats (SPD) and Merkel's CDU-CSU conservative alliance.

Olaf Scholz is heading the Social Democrat (SPD) while Merkel has backed Armin Laschet of the CDU-CSU.&nbsp;

Merkel had earlier announced she will be stepping down as Chancellor after the polls ending her reign which has lasted for sixteen years as Europe's most powerful economy enters a new phase.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-federal-elections-2021-what-you-need-to-know-about-race-to-become-chancellor-416151">German federal elections 2021: What you need to know about race to become chancellor</a> 
 
Ahead of the elections, opinion polls suggested the elections were too close to call with Social Democrats just ahead by two points against the CDU-CSU alliance.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-outcome-uncertain-coalition-government-likely-416057">Watch: Germany- Outcome uncertain, coalition government likely</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/germany-outcome-uncertain-coalition-government-likely-416057/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Experts say the huge number of undecided voters may swing the results with 60 million eligible voters set to exercise their franchise.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-elections-angela-merkel-makes-final-push-for-successor-in-germanys-knife-edge-polls-416007">Also Read:&nbsp;Angela Merkel makes final push for successor in Germany's knife-edge polls</a>

Olaf Scholz, 63, is eying the top post even as Merkel's candidate Armin Laschet, 60, has dug for a pitched battle during the election campaign.

Merkel has been in power since 2005, however, the current polls are set to usher in a new leader as Europe emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-far-right-is-nowhere-in-the-election-but-its-here-to-stay-414856">Also Read:&nbsp;Germany’s far-right is nowhere in the election. But it’s ‘here to stay.’</a>

Experts suggest Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) may play a key role if neither the CDU-CSU nor the SPD gain enough seats even though Scholz said he was hoping his party along with the Greens will garner enough support to form the next government.

Scholz said, "The stronger the SPD, the easier it will be to form a coalition," while adding, "I don't know what will be possible but maybe it is possible for example to form an SPD-Greens coalition. I believe it is possible."

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp;

Germans began voting in the national elections on Sunday in a tight race between Social Democrats (SPD) and Merkel's CDU-CSU conservative alliance. Olaf Scholz is heading the Social Democrat (SPD) while Merkel has backed Armin Laschet of the CDU-CSU.

Germans began voting in the national elections on Sunday in a tight race between Social Democrats (SPD) and Merkel's CDU-CSU conservative alliance. Olaf Scholz is heading the Social Democrat (SPD) while Merkel has backed Armin Laschet of the CDU-CSU. Merkel had earlier announced she will be stepping down as Chancellor after the polls ending her reign which has lasted for sixteen years as Europe's most powerful economy enters a new phase. Also Read | German federal elections 2021: What you need to know about race to become chancellor Ahead of the elections, opinion polls suggested the elections were too close to call with Social Democrats just ahead by two points against the CDU-CSU alliance. Watch: Germany- Outcome uncertain, coalition government likely Experts say the huge number of undecided voters may swing the results with 60 million eligible voters set to exercise their franchise. Also Read: Angela Merkel makes final push for successor in Germany's knife-edge polls Olaf Scholz, 63, is eying the top post even as Merkel's candidate Armin Laschet, 60, has dug for a pitched battle during the election campaign. Merkel has been in power since 2005, however, the current polls are set to usher in a new leader as Europe emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. Also Read: Germany’s far-right is nowhere in the election. But it’s ‘here to stay.’ Experts suggest Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) may play a key role if neither the CDU-CSU nor the SPD gain enough seats even though Scholz said he was hoping his party along with the Greens will garner enough support to form the next government. Scholz said, "The stronger the SPD, the easier it will be to form a coalition," while adding, "I don't know what will be possible but maybe it is possible for example to form an SPD-Greens coalition. I believe it is possible." (With inputs from Agencies)

Polls open in Germany to elect new chancellor; SPD, CDU-CSU in tight race

In pictures: A look back at German Chancellor Angela Merkel's career 

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel will step down at the end of this year after serving 16 years as the head of Germany's government. Who will succeed her as the German chancellor?

Who will succeed Angela Merkel as German chancellor? | WION English News

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday urged Germans to give her would-be successor Armin Laschet their vote to shape Germany's future, in a last-ditch push to shore up his beleaguered campaign 24 hours before Germans vote.

Laschet, 60, has been trailing his Social Democrat challenger Olaf Scholz in the race for the chancellery, although final polls put the gap between them within the margin of error, making the vote one of the most unpredictable in recent years. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/farewell-angela-merkel-you-were-once-the-leader-of-the-free-world-415832">Also read | Farewell, Angela Merkel. You were once the ‘Leader of the Free World’</a>

Merkel had planned to keep a low profile in the election battle as she prepares to bow out of politics after 16 years in power. But she has found herself dragged into the frantic campaign schedule of the unpopular chairman of her party, Laschet. 
 
Watch | Gravitas US Edition: Memes &amp; memories — Merkel era ends in Germany

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In the last week of the campaign, Merkel took Laschet to her constituency by the Baltic coast and on Friday headlined the closing rally gathering the conservatives' bigwigs in Munich.

Merkel tugged at the heartstrings of Germany's predominantly older electorate on Friday, calling on them to keep her conservatives in power for the sake of stability -- a trademark of Germany.

A day before the vote, she travelled to Laschet's hometown and constituency, Aachen, a spa city near Germany's western border with Belgium and the Netherlands, where he was born and still lives.

"It is about your future, the future of your children and the future of your parents," she said at her last rally before the polls, urging strong mobilisation for her conservative alliance.

Climate high on agenda

She underlined that climate protection would be a key challenge of the next government, but that this would not be achieved "simply through rules and regulations.

"For that we need new technological developments, new procedures, researchers, interested people who think about how that can be done, and people who participate," she said.&nbsp;

Laschet is a "bridge-builder who will get people on board" in shaping Germany to meet those challenges, she said.

Hundreds of thousands of people descended on the streets on Friday urging change and greater climate protection, with a leading activist calling Sunday's election the vote "of a century".

On Saturday, Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg told a rally near Germany's Garzweiler mine, one of the biggest in Europe, that the elections "are not going to resolve the crisis, whatever the outcome".

"You're going to have to keep mobilising, organising and taking to the streets," she said.

With the clock ticking down to the election, Scholz was also staying close to home at the other end of the country to chase down last votes.

Taking questions from voters in his constituency of Potsdam -- a city on the outskirts of Berlin famous for its palaces that once housed Prussian kings, -- Scholz said he was fighting for "a major change in this country, a new government" led by him.&nbsp;

He also gave a glimpse of the future government he hopes to lead, saying that "perhaps it may be enough to, for instance, form a government between the SPD and the Greens".

Scholz, currently finance minister in Merkel's coalition government, has avoided making mistakes on the campaign trail, and largely won backing as he sold himself as the "continuity candidate" after Merkel in place of Laschet.

Described as capable but boring, Scholz has consistently beaten Laschet by wide margins when it comes to popularity.

'Could backfire'

As election day loomed, Laschet's conservatives were closing the gap, with one poll even putting them just one percentage point behind the SPD's 26 percent.

Laschet went into the race for the chancellery badly bruised by a tough battle for the conservatives' chancellor candidate nomination.

Nevertheless, his party enjoyed a substantial lead ahead of the SPD heading into the summer.

But Laschet was seen chuckling behind President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as he paid tribute to victims of deadly floods in July, an image that would drastically turn the mood against him and his party.

As polls showed the lead widening for the SPD, the conservatives turned to their greatest asset -- the still widely popular Merkel.

Yet roping in the chancellor is not without risks, said political analyst Oskar Niedermayer of Berlin's Free University.

"Merkel is still the most well-liked politician. But the joint appearances can become a problem for Laschet because they are then immediately compared to each other, " he said.

"And it could therefore backfire because people could then think that Merkel is more suitable than Laschet."

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday urged Germans to give her would-be successor Armin Laschet their vote to shape Germany's future, in a last-ditch push to shore up his beleaguered campaign 24 hours before Germans vote.

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday urged Germans to give her would-be successor Armin Laschet their vote to shape Germany's future, in a last-ditch push to shore up his beleaguered campaign 24 hours before Germans vote. Laschet, 60, has been trailing his Social Democrat challenger Olaf Scholz in the race for the chancellery, although final polls put the gap between them within the margin of error, making the vote one of the most unpredictable in recent years. Also read | Farewell, Angela Merkel. You were once the ‘Leader of the Free World’ Merkel had planned to keep a low profile in the election battle as she prepares to bow out of politics after 16 years in power. But she has found herself dragged into the frantic campaign schedule of the unpopular chairman of her party, Laschet. Watch | Gravitas US Edition: Memes & memories — Merkel era ends in Germany In the last week of the campaign, Merkel took Laschet to her constituency by the Baltic coast and on Friday headlined the closing rally gathering the conservatives' bigwigs in Munich. Merkel tugged at the heartstrings of Germany's predominantly older electorate on Friday, calling on them to keep her conservatives in power for the sake of stability -- a trademark of Germany. A day before the vote, she travelled to Laschet's hometown and constituency, Aachen, a spa city near Germany's western border with Belgium and the Netherlands, where he was born and still lives. "It is about your future, the future of your children and the future of your parents," she said at her last rally before the polls, urging strong mobilisation for her conservative alliance. Climate high on agenda She underlined that climate protection would be a key challenge of the next government, but that this would not be achieved "simply through rules and regulations. "For that we need new technological developments, new procedures, researchers, interested people who think about how that can be done, and people who participate," she said. Laschet is a "bridge-builder who will get people on board" in shaping Germany to meet those challenges, she said. Hundreds of thousands of people descended on the streets on Friday urging change and greater climate protection, with a leading activist calling Sunday's election the vote "of a century". On Saturday, Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg told a rally near Germany's Garzweiler mine, one of the biggest in Europe, that the elections "are not going to resolve the crisis, whatever the outcome". "You're going to have to keep mobilising, organising and taking to the streets," she said. With the clock ticking down to the election, Scholz was also staying close to home at the other end of the country to chase down last votes. Taking questions from voters in his constituency of Potsdam -- a city on the outskirts of Berlin famous for its palaces that once housed Prussian kings, -- Scholz said he was fighting for "a major change in this country, a new government" led by him. He also gave a glimpse of the future government he hopes to lead, saying that "perhaps it may be enough to, for instance, form a government between the SPD and the Greens". Scholz, currently finance minister in Merkel's coalition government, has avoided making mistakes on the campaign trail, and largely won backing as he sold himself as the "continuity candidate" after Merkel in place of Laschet. Described as capable but boring, Scholz has consistently beaten Laschet by wide margins when it comes to popularity. 'Could backfire' As election day loomed, Laschet's conservatives were closing the gap, with one poll even putting them just one percentage point behind the SPD's 26 percent. Laschet went into the race for the chancellery badly bruised by a tough battle for the conservatives' chancellor candidate nomination. Nevertheless, his party enjoyed a substantial lead ahead of the SPD heading into the summer. But Laschet was seen chuckling behind President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as he paid tribute to victims of deadly floods in July, an image that would drastically turn the mood against him and his party. As polls showed the lead widening for the SPD, the conservatives turned to their greatest asset -- the still widely popular Merkel. Yet roping in the chancellor is not without risks, said political analyst Oskar Niedermayer of Berlin's Free University. "Merkel is still the most well-liked politician. But the joint appearances can become a problem for Laschet because they are then immediately compared to each other, " he said. "And it could therefore backfire because people could then think that Merkel is more suitable than Laschet."

Germany elections: Angela Merkel makes final push for successor in Germany's knife-edge polls

After Germans vote Sunday and a new government is formed, Chancellor Angela Merkel will leave office after 16 years as the dominant figure in European politics. It is the moment that French President Emmanuel Macron has been waiting for.

The German chancellor, although credited for navigating multiple crises, was long criticized for lacking strategic vision. Macron, whose more swaggering style has sometimes ruffled his European partners — and Washington — has put forward ideas for a more independent and integrated Europe, better able to act in its own defense and its own interests.

But as the Anglo-American “betrayal” in the Australian submarine affair has underscored, Macron sometimes possesses ambitions beyond his reach. Despite the vacuum Merkel leaves, a Macron era is unlikely to be born.

Instead, analysts say, the European Union is heading for a period of prolonged uncertainty and potential weakness, if not necessarily drift. No one figure — not even Macron or a new German chancellor — will be as influential as Merkel was at her strongest: an authoritative, well-briefed leader who quietly managed compromise and built consensus among a long list of louder and more ideological colleagues.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/developing-countries-to-soon-receive-their-long-promised-funds-for-tackling-climate-crisis-415881">Developing countries to soon receive their long-promised funds for tackling climate crisis</a>

That raises the prospect of paralysis or of Europe muddling through its challenges — on what to do about an increasingly indifferent America, on China and Russia, and on trade and technology — or even of a more dangerous fracturing of the bloc’s always tentative unity.

And it will mean that Macron, who is up for reelection in April and absorbed in that uncertain campaign, will need to wait for a German government that may not be in place until January or longer, and then work closely with a weaker German chancellor.

“We’ll have a weak German chancellor on top of a larger, less unified coalition,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. “A weaker chancellor is less capable of exerting influence in Europe, and then with the Macron election, the political cycles of these two key countries will not be in sync.”

The uncertainty is likely to last until after the French parliamentary elections in June — and that is presuming Macron wins.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-gunman-in-deadly-mass-shooting-at-kroger-in-tennessee-identified-as-29-year-old-store-vendor-415830">US: Gunman in deadly mass shooting at Kroger in Tennessee, identified as 29-year-old store vendor</a>

Macron has argued forcefully that Europe must do more to protect its own interests in a world where China is rising and the United States is focusing on Asia. His officials are already trying to prepare the ground on some key issues, looking forward to January, when France takes over the rotating EU presidency. But given the likelihood of lengthy coalition talks in Germany, the window for accomplishment is narrow.

Macron will need German help. While France and Germany together can no longer run the European Union by themselves, when they agree, they tend to bring the rest of the bloc along with them.

So building a relationship with the new German chancellor, even a weaker one, will be a primary goal for Macron. He must be careful, noted Daniela Schwarzer, executive director for Europe and Eurasia of the Open Societies Foundations, not to scare off the Germans.

“Macron’s leadership is disruptive, and the German style is to change institutions incrementally,” she said. “Both sides will need to think through how they make it possible for the other side to answer constructively.”

French officials understand that substantive change will be slow, and they will want to build on initiatives already underway, like the analysis of Europe’s interests called “the strategic compass” and a modest but steady increase in military spending on new capabilities through the new European Defense Fund and a program called Pesco, intended to promote joint projects and European interoperability.

After the humiliation of the scuttled submarine deal, when Australia suddenly canceled a contract with France and chose a deal with Britain and the United States instead, many of his European colleagues are more likely now to agree with Macron that Europe must be less dependent on Washington and spend at least a little more in its own defense.

Few in Europe, though, want to permanently damage ties with the Americans and NATO.

“Italy wants a stronger Europe, OK, but in NATO — we’re not on the French page on that,” said Marta Dassu, a former Italian deputy foreign minister and director of European affairs at the Aspen Institute.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, whose voice is respected in Brussels, believes strongly in the trans-Atlantic relationship, Dassu said, adding, “We’re closer to Germany than to France, but without all the ambiguities on Russia and China.”

France also wants to become more assertive using the economic and financial tools Europe already has, especially trade and technology, the officials say. The point, they say, is not to push too hard too fast, but to raise the European game vis-à-vis China and the United States, and try to encourage a culture that is comfortable with power.

But France’s German partners will be going through a period of uncertainty and transition. A new German chancellor is expected to win only one-quarter of the vote and may need to negotiate a coalition agreement among three political parties. That is expected to take at least until Christmas, if not longer.

The new chancellor will also need to get up to speed on European issues, which barely surfaced in the campaign, and build credibility as the newcomer among 26 other leaders.

“So it’s important now to start thinking of concrete French-German wins during a French presidency that Macron can use in a positive way in his campaign,” Schwarzer said. “Because Berlin does not want to ponder a scenario in which Macron loses” to far-right Marine Le Pen or in which euroskeptics like Matteo Salvini take over in Italy.

Whoever wins, German policy toward Europe will remain roughly the same from a country deeply committed to EU ideals, cautious and wanting to preserve stability and unity. The real question is whether any European leader can be the cohesive force Merkel was — and if not, what it will mean for the continent’s future.

“Merkel herself was important in keeping the EU together,” said Ulrich Speck of the German Marshall Fund. “She kept in mind the interests of so many in Europe, especially Central Europe but also Italy, so that everyone could be kept on board.”

Merkel saw the European Union as the core of her policy, said a senior European official, who called her the guardian of true EU values, willing to bend to keep the bloc together, as evidenced by her support for collective debt, previously a German red line, to fund the coronavirus recovery fund.

“Merkel acted as mediator when there have been a lot of centrifugal forces weakening Europe,” said Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, head of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund. “It’s less clear how the next chancellor will position himself or herself and Germany.”

Still, Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that “whoever is the chancellor, Germany is still responsible for more than half of Chinese trade with Europe.” Germany is “vastly more important than the other countries on all the big issues, from how to handle China to the tech wars and climate change,” he said.

That means Macron “knows he has to channel German power behind his vision,” he said.

But French and Italian positions will be crucial, too, on important pending financial issues like fiscal and banking integration, trying to complete the single market and monitoring the pandemic recovery fund.

Merkel’s departure may provide an opportunity for the kinds of change Macron desires, even if in vastly scaled-down version. Merkel’s love of the status quo, some analysts argue, was anachronistic at a time when Europe faces so many challenges.

Perhaps most important is the looming debate about whether to alter Europe’s spending rules, which in practical terms means getting agreement from countries to spend more on everything, from defense to climate.

The real problem is that fundamental change would require a treaty change, said Guntram Wolff, director of Bruegel, a Brussels research institution. “You can’t have fiscal and defense integration by stealth,” he said. “It won’t have legitimacy and won’t be accepted by citizens.”

But the German election debates ignored these broad issues, he said.

“The sad news,” Wolff said, “is that none of the three chancellor candidates campaigned on any of this, so my baseline expectation is continued muddling forward.”

After Germans vote Sunday and a new government is formed, Chancellor Angela Merkel will leave office after 16 years as the dominant figure in European politics. It is the moment that French President Emmanuel Macron has been waiting for.

After Germans vote Sunday and a new government is formed, Chancellor Angela Merkel will leave office after 16 years as the dominant figure in European politics. It is the moment that French President Emmanuel Macron has been waiting for. The German chancellor, although credited for navigating multiple crises, was long criticized for lacking strategic vision. Macron, whose more swaggering style has sometimes ruffled his European partners — and Washington — has put forward ideas for a more independent and integrated Europe, better able to act in its own defense and its own interests. But as the Anglo-American “betrayal” in the Australian submarine affair has underscored, Macron sometimes possesses ambitions beyond his reach. Despite the vacuum Merkel leaves, a Macron era is unlikely to be born. Instead, analysts say, the European Union is heading for a period of prolonged uncertainty and potential weakness, if not necessarily drift. No one figure — not even Macron or a new German chancellor — will be as influential as Merkel was at her strongest: an authoritative, well-briefed leader who quietly managed compromise and built consensus among a long list of louder and more ideological colleagues. ALSO READ | Developing countries to soon receive their long-promised funds for tackling climate crisis That raises the prospect of paralysis or of Europe muddling through its challenges — on what to do about an increasingly indifferent America, on China and Russia, and on trade and technology — or even of a more dangerous fracturing of the bloc’s always tentative unity. And it will mean that Macron, who is up for reelection in April and absorbed in that uncertain campaign, will need to wait for a German government that may not be in place until January or longer, and then work closely with a weaker German chancellor. “We’ll have a weak German chancellor on top of a larger, less unified coalition,” said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. “A weaker chancellor is less capable of exerting influence in Europe, and then with the Macron election, the political cycles of these two key countries will not be in sync.” The uncertainty is likely to last until after the French parliamentary elections in June — and that is presuming Macron wins. ALSO READ | US: Gunman in deadly mass shooting at Kroger in Tennessee, identified as 29-year-old store vendor Macron has argued forcefully that Europe must do more to protect its own interests in a world where China is rising and the United States is focusing on Asia. His officials are already trying to prepare the ground on some key issues, looking forward to January, when France takes over the rotating EU presidency. But given the likelihood of lengthy coalition talks in Germany, the window for accomplishment is narrow. Macron will need German help. While France and Germany together can no longer run the European Union by themselves, when they agree, they tend to bring the rest of the bloc along with them. So building a relationship with the new German chancellor, even a weaker one, will be a primary goal for Macron. He must be careful, noted Daniela Schwarzer, executive director for Europe and Eurasia of the Open Societies Foundations, not to scare off the Germans. “Macron’s leadership is disruptive, and the German style is to change institutions incrementally,” she said. “Both sides will need to think through how they make it possible for the other side to answer constructively.” French officials understand that substantive change will be slow, and they will want to build on initiatives already underway, like the analysis of Europe’s interests called “the strategic compass” and a modest but steady increase in military spending on new capabilities through the new European Defense Fund and a program called Pesco, intended to promote joint projects and European interoperability. After the humiliation of the scuttled submarine deal, when Australia suddenly canceled a contract with France and chose a deal with Britain and the United States instead, many of his European colleagues are more likely now to agree with Macron that Europe must be less dependent on Washington and spend at least a little more in its own defense. Few in Europe, though, want to permanently damage ties with the Americans and NATO. “Italy wants a stronger Europe, OK, but in NATO — we’re not on the French page on that,” said Marta Dassu, a former Italian deputy foreign minister and director of European affairs at the Aspen Institute. Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, whose voice is respected in Brussels, believes strongly in the trans-Atlantic relationship, Dassu said, adding, “We’re closer to Germany than to France, but without all the ambiguities on Russia and China.” France also wants to become more assertive using the economic and financial tools Europe already has, especially trade and technology, the officials say. The point, they say, is not to push too hard too fast, but to raise the European game vis-à-vis China and the United States, and try to encourage a culture that is comfortable with power. But France’s German partners will be going through a period of uncertainty and transition. A new German chancellor is expected to win only one-quarter of the vote and may need to negotiate a coalition agreement among three political parties. That is expected to take at least until Christmas, if not longer. The new chancellor will also need to get up to speed on European issues, which barely surfaced in the campaign, and build credibility as the newcomer among 26 other leaders. “So it’s important now to start thinking of concrete French-German wins during a French presidency that Macron can use in a positive way in his campaign,” Schwarzer said. “Because Berlin does not want to ponder a scenario in which Macron loses” to far-right Marine Le Pen or in which euroskeptics like Matteo Salvini take over in Italy. Whoever wins, German policy toward Europe will remain roughly the same from a country deeply committed to EU ideals, cautious and wanting to preserve stability and unity. The real question is whether any European leader can be the cohesive force Merkel was — and if not, what it will mean for the continent’s future. “Merkel herself was important in keeping the EU together,” said Ulrich Speck of the German Marshall Fund. “She kept in mind the interests of so many in Europe, especially Central Europe but also Italy, so that everyone could be kept on board.” Merkel saw the European Union as the core of her policy, said a senior European official, who called her the guardian of true EU values, willing to bend to keep the bloc together, as evidenced by her support for collective debt, previously a German red line, to fund the coronavirus recovery fund. “Merkel acted as mediator when there have been a lot of centrifugal forces weakening Europe,” said Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, head of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund. “It’s less clear how the next chancellor will position himself or herself and Germany.” Still, Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that “whoever is the chancellor, Germany is still responsible for more than half of Chinese trade with Europe.” Germany is “vastly more important than the other countries on all the big issues, from how to handle China to the tech wars and climate change,” he said. That means Macron “knows he has to channel German power behind his vision,” he said. But French and Italian positions will be crucial, too, on important pending financial issues like fiscal and banking integration, trying to complete the single market and monitoring the pandemic recovery fund. Merkel’s departure may provide an opportunity for the kinds of change Macron desires, even if in vastly scaled-down version. Merkel’s love of the status quo, some analysts argue, was anachronistic at a time when Europe faces so many challenges. Perhaps most important is the looming debate about whether to alter Europe’s spending rules, which in practical terms means getting agreement from countries to spend more on everything, from defense to climate. The real problem is that fundamental change would require a treaty change, said Guntram Wolff, director of Bruegel, a Brussels research institution. “You can’t have fiscal and defense integration by stealth,” he said. “It won’t have legitimacy and won’t be accepted by citizens.” But the German election debates ignored these broad issues, he said. “The sad news,” Wolff said, “is that none of the three chancellor candidates campaigned on any of this, so my baseline expectation is continued muddling forward.”

Can Macron lead the European Union after Merkel retires?

Chancellor of Germany. Leader of Europe. Feminist Icon. Angela Merkel wore many hats during her 16 years in power. Palki Sharma looks back at the life and career of 'Europe's Empress'.

Gravitas US Edition: Memes & memories: Merkel era ends in Germany

In central Berlin, a giant billboard shows a pair of hands, arranged in the shape of a diamond, in front of a female torso dressed in a green jacket. “Tschüss Mutti,” the billboard reads. “Bye, bye, Mommy.”

Even without a face, Germans know who’s being depicted. The diamond, the colorful jacket and the word “Mutti” are iconic, just like Angela Merkel herself.

After 16 years, Germany is saying “Tschüss” to its longtime chancellor. Across the country, the departure of Ms. Merkel has brought out affectionate nostalgia, tinged with a drop of irony. Yet there’s also fatigue, verging on irritation, a twitchy restlessness to see her off and start afresh. As with most farewells, feelings are mixed.

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For Ms. Merkel, a leader who never sought acclaim, a low-key, almost ambivalent exit feels fitting. But it also reveals an irony about her rule. The qualities that ensured her success — her caution and consistency, her firmness and diligence — are now, at the end of her tenure, leading some to regard her departure with relief. The Germany Ms. Merkel made, in nearly two decades of steady stewardship, is ready to move on.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-far-right-is-nowhere-in-the-election-but-its-here-to-stay-414856">Germany’s far-right is nowhere in the election. But it’s ‘here to stay.’</a>

For all her calm, Ms. Merkel’s time in charge has not been without tumult. She steered Germany through a series of crises — the financial crash in 2008, the euro debt crisis that followed, the migration crisis of 2015 and, of course, the pandemic. She brokered a truce, albeit a brittle one, between Russia and Ukraine, helped to negotiate Brexit and saw Donald Trump come and go. Each event had the potential to sunder the world. In part thanks to Ms. Merkel, none did.

Her role in these crises continues to be debated. Many progressives maintain that her austerity policies have done more harm than good, and many conservatives believe she should have closed Germany’s borders to migrants in 2015. The overall verdict, though, is unlikely to change. Under great pressure, Ms. Merkel was a conservative in the best sense, retaining the country’s prosperity, cohesion and purpose. Her great achievement was not what she built, but what she managed to keep.

Yet preservation can quickly turn to stagnation. Many of Ms. Merkel’s policies that had an initially stabilizing effect carried hidden long-term costs. And at the very moment she is about to leave office, that’s starting to show. Her “sins of omission” — as a British historian and Germany expert, Timothy Garton Ash, put it to me — are becoming painfully obvious.

Take Europe. Across nearly two decades, Ms. Merkel played an outsize role in guiding the union through a succession of challenges. But in the process, she stored up future problems.

In 2016, for example, the chancellor spearheaded a deal with Turkey to take in refugees. The move ended the yearlong migration crisis, in which more than a million migrants claimed asylum in Europe. But it’s hardly a sustainable solution, neither for Turkey — where economic difficulties and growing numbers of refugees threaten to destabilize the country — nor for Europe. Migrants, especially after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s takeover of the country, will continue to seek refuge on the continent. Some workable solution, attentive to the needs of both migrants and citizens, must be found.

In other areas, too, Ms. Merkel’s approach fell short. Her handling of the euro debt crisis helped secure the future of the bloc, but at the cost of leaving the underlying dynamics — overindebted southern countries and an unbalanced monetary union — untouched. Her conciliatory approach to Russia, not least over the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, looks ever more untenable as President Vladimir Putin ruthlessly consolidates his regime.

And while her inclination to avoid censuring Hungary and Poland for their breaches of the rule of law protected the bloc against disintegration, it sidestepped essential questions about the character of Europe. In Ms. Merkel’s absence, European leaders — including Germany’s next chancellor, whoever that is — will need to determine the bloc’s future course. How will it navigate the increased rivalry between America and China? To what extent will it embark on a more autonomous defense strategy? And how will it combat the rise of the far right?

At home, a similar pattern prevailed. Look at the economy. Yes, Germany’s export surplus came to an all-time high during Ms. Merkel’s tenure, and G.D.P. reached a record high in 2019. But it has come at the cost of an increased — some say excessive — dependence on the Chinese market, something Ms. Merkel has done little to address. What’s more, by shielding Germany’s car industry from more ambitious carbon-emission goals, Ms. Merkel has in effect exonerated managers from the need to innovate. That’s one reason German car companies are scrambling to keep up with their American and Chinese counterparts.

Then there’s climate change. Trying to protect key industries and fearing to impose too much change on voters, Ms. Merkel refrained from any far-reaching plan to cut emissions until late in her tenure. And though the share of renewable energy grew to 45 percent during her time in office, many experts agree that on its current trajectory, the country will not meet its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2045. Despite being seen abroad as the “climate chancellor,” Ms. Merkel has taken only very minor steps toward confronting the defining issue of our time.

It all adds up to a country at once cozy and cosseted, ignorant of the dangers waiting in the wings. Ursula Weidenfeld, an economics journalist and the author of a recent biography of the chancellor, has likened Ms. Merkel’s Germany to the Shire in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” Peaceful and prosperous, soothingly old-fashioned, self-satisfied to the point of delusion and naïve in a likable yet unnerving way: The analogy is apt.

Ms. Merkel protected the Shire, which is what Germans expected of her and why she won four national elections in a row. But in doing so, she fostered its peculiar detachment from the world and its unwillingness to change, innovate or even discuss different ways forward.

The chancellor also became stuck in her ways. Humble and unpretentious, she saw herself as a servant to her country. But in return for her service, dedication and competence, she came to expect — demand, even — blind trust. She has grown increasingly impatient with the forever chatter of Germany’s political class.

Her famous phrase during the migration crisis — “We can do this” — was to some a welcome dose of optimism. But to others, not least in her own party, it was a decree, a royal diktat from above silencing opposition and curtailing debate. Perhaps that tendency hardened over time. Ahead one of the endless meetings with Germany’s 16 governors during the pandemic’s first wave in 2020, she reportedly complained about the “orgies of debates on reopening the country.”

It was an unusual outburst, one that underscored a growing unease about her methods and her achievements. After all, the pandemic exposed Germany’s lack of digital services, the need to modernize its public health service and the vulnerability of the economy’s supply chains. The floods in July, in which over 200 people lost their lives, were a tragic reminder that Germany will not be spared the perils of climate change. Against this backdrop, the prospect of change — no matter how familiar the candidates — has become more appealing.

Just a couple of years ago, Ms. Merkel was garlanded as the “leader of the free world.” Against the chaos and disruption of Mr. Trump, her sober, judicious style was widely envied. Now, in a twist of history, different qualities are wanted. I’m pretty sure there will be many moments in the not-too-distant future when Germans will painfully miss Angela Merkel. And yet: It is time. Tschüss Mutti.

In central Berlin, a giant billboard shows a pair of hands, arranged in the shape of a diamond, in front of a female torso dressed in a green jacket. “Tschüss Mutti,” the billboard reads.

In central Berlin, a giant billboard shows a pair of hands, arranged in the shape of a diamond, in front of a female torso dressed in a green jacket. “Tschüss Mutti,” the billboard reads. “Bye, bye, Mommy.” Even without a face, Germans know who’s being depicted. The diamond, the colorful jacket and the word “Mutti” are iconic, just like Angela Merkel herself. After 16 years, Germany is saying “Tschüss” to its longtime chancellor. Across the country, the departure of Ms. Merkel has brought out affectionate nostalgia, tinged with a drop of irony. Yet there’s also fatigue, verging on irritation, a twitchy restlessness to see her off and start afresh. As with most farewells, feelings are mixed. × For Ms. Merkel, a leader who never sought acclaim, a low-key, almost ambivalent exit feels fitting. But it also reveals an irony about her rule. The qualities that ensured her success — her caution and consistency, her firmness and diligence — are now, at the end of her tenure, leading some to regard her departure with relief. The Germany Ms. Merkel made, in nearly two decades of steady stewardship, is ready to move on. Also Read | Germany’s far-right is nowhere in the election. But it’s ‘here to stay.’ For all her calm, Ms. Merkel’s time in charge has not been without tumult. She steered Germany through a series of crises — the financial crash in 2008, the euro debt crisis that followed, the migration crisis of 2015 and, of course, the pandemic. She brokered a truce, albeit a brittle one, between Russia and Ukraine, helped to negotiate Brexit and saw Donald Trump come and go. Each event had the potential to sunder the world. In part thanks to Ms. Merkel, none did. Her role in these crises continues to be debated. Many progressives maintain that her austerity policies have done more harm than good, and many conservatives believe she should have closed Germany’s borders to migrants in 2015. The overall verdict, though, is unlikely to change. Under great pressure, Ms. Merkel was a conservative in the best sense, retaining the country’s prosperity, cohesion and purpose. Her great achievement was not what she built, but what she managed to keep. Yet preservation can quickly turn to stagnation. Many of Ms. Merkel’s policies that had an initially stabilizing effect carried hidden long-term costs. And at the very moment she is about to leave office, that’s starting to show. Her “sins of omission” — as a British historian and Germany expert, Timothy Garton Ash, put it to me — are becoming painfully obvious. Take Europe. Across nearly two decades, Ms. Merkel played an outsize role in guiding the union through a succession of challenges. But in the process, she stored up future problems. In 2016, for example, the chancellor spearheaded a deal with Turkey to take in refugees. The move ended the yearlong migration crisis, in which more than a million migrants claimed asylum in Europe. But it’s hardly a sustainable solution, neither for Turkey — where economic difficulties and growing numbers of refugees threaten to destabilize the country — nor for Europe. Migrants, especially after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban’s takeover of the country, will continue to seek refuge on the continent. Some workable solution, attentive to the needs of both migrants and citizens, must be found. In other areas, too, Ms. Merkel’s approach fell short. Her handling of the euro debt crisis helped secure the future of the bloc, but at the cost of leaving the underlying dynamics — overindebted southern countries and an unbalanced monetary union — untouched. Her conciliatory approach to Russia, not least over the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, looks ever more untenable as President Vladimir Putin ruthlessly consolidates his regime. And while her inclination to avoid censuring Hungary and Poland for their breaches of the rule of law protected the bloc against disintegration, it sidestepped essential questions about the character of Europe. In Ms. Merkel’s absence, European leaders — including Germany’s next chancellor, whoever that is — will need to determine the bloc’s future course. How will it navigate the increased rivalry between America and China? To what extent will it embark on a more autonomous defense strategy? And how will it combat the rise of the far right? At home, a similar pattern prevailed. Look at the economy. Yes, Germany’s export surplus came to an all-time high during Ms. Merkel’s tenure, and G.D.P. reached a record high in 2019. But it has come at the cost of an increased — some say excessive — dependence on the Chinese market, something Ms. Merkel has done little to address. What’s more, by shielding Germany’s car industry from more ambitious carbon-emission goals, Ms. Merkel has in effect exonerated managers from the need to innovate. That’s one reason German car companies are scrambling to keep up with their American and Chinese counterparts. Then there’s climate change. Trying to protect key industries and fearing to impose too much change on voters, Ms. Merkel refrained from any far-reaching plan to cut emissions until late in her tenure. And though the share of renewable energy grew to 45 percent during her time in office, many experts agree that on its current trajectory, the country will not meet its goal of being carbon-neutral by 2045. Despite being seen abroad as the “climate chancellor,” Ms. Merkel has taken only very minor steps toward confronting the defining issue of our time. It all adds up to a country at once cozy and cosseted, ignorant of the dangers waiting in the wings. Ursula Weidenfeld, an economics journalist and the author of a recent biography of the chancellor, has likened Ms. Merkel’s Germany to the Shire in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” Peaceful and prosperous, soothingly old-fashioned, self-satisfied to the point of delusion and naïve in a likable yet unnerving way: The analogy is apt. Ms. Merkel protected the Shire, which is what Germans expected of her and why she won four national elections in a row. But in doing so, she fostered its peculiar detachment from the world and its unwillingness to change, innovate or even discuss different ways forward. The chancellor also became stuck in her ways. Humble and unpretentious, she saw herself as a servant to her country. But in return for her service, dedication and competence, she came to expect — demand, even — blind trust. She has grown increasingly impatient with the forever chatter of Germany’s political class. Her famous phrase during the migration crisis — “We can do this” — was to some a welcome dose of optimism. But to others, not least in her own party, it was a decree, a royal diktat from above silencing opposition and curtailing debate. Perhaps that tendency hardened over time. Ahead one of the endless meetings with Germany’s 16 governors during the pandemic’s first wave in 2020, she reportedly complained about the “orgies of debates on reopening the country.” It was an unusual outburst, one that underscored a growing unease about her methods and her achievements. After all, the pandemic exposed Germany’s lack of digital services, the need to modernize its public health service and the vulnerability of the economy’s supply chains. The floods in July, in which over 200 people lost their lives, were a tragic reminder that Germany will not be spared the perils of climate change. Against this backdrop, the prospect of change — no matter how familiar the candidates — has become more appealing. Just a couple of years ago, Ms. Merkel was garlanded as the “leader of the free world.” Against the chaos and disruption of Mr. Trump, her sober, judicious style was widely envied. Now, in a twist of history, different qualities are wanted. I’m pretty sure there will be many moments in the not-too-distant future when Germans will painfully miss Angela Merkel. And yet: It is time. Tschüss Mutti.

Farewell, Angela Merkel. You were once the ‘Leader of the Free World’

They promised they would “hunt” the elites. They questioned the need for a Holocaust memorial in Berlin and described Muslim immigrants as “headscarf girls” and “knife men.”

Four years ago the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, arrived in the German Parliament like a wrecking ball, the first far-right party to win a place at the heart of Germany’s democracy since World War II. It was a political earthquake in a country that had once seen Hitler’s Nazi party rise from the fringes to win power in free elections.

As another election looms on Sunday, the worst fears of many Germans have not come true: Support for the party has dipped. But neither have the hopes that the AfD would disappear from the political scene as suddenly as it appeared. If Germany’s fate in this election will not be settled by the far right, political analysts say, Germany’s future will partly be shaped by it.

“The AfD is here to stay,” said Matthias Quent, professor of sociology at Magdeburg University of Applied Sciences and an expert on the far right. “There was the widespread and naïve hope that this was a short-lived protest phenomenon. The reality is that the far right has become entrenched in the German political landscape.”

The AfD is polling at roughly 11%, just below its 2017 result of 12.6%, and is all but guaranteed to retain its presence in Parliament. (Parties with less than 5% of the vote do not get any seats.) But with all other parties refusing to include the AfD in talks about forming the next governing coalition, it is effectively barred from power.

“The AfD is isolated,” said Uwe Jun, a professor of political science at Trier University.

Yet with Germany’s two main parties having slipped well below the 30% mark, the AfD remains a disruptive force, one that complicates efforts to build a governing coalition with a majority of votes and parliamentary seats. Tino Chrupalla, one of the AfD’s two lead candidates in the election, believes that, eventually, the firewall other parties have erected against his party will crumble — most likely starting in one of the states in the former communist East that is currently its power base.

“It’s not sustainable,” he said. “I’m confident that sooner or later there is no way without the AfD,” he told reporters this past week. “It will certainly start on the state level.”

Founded eight years ago as a nationalist free-market protest party against the Greek bailout and the euro, the AfD has sharply shifted to the right.

The party seized on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to welcome over 1 million migrants to Germany in 2015 and 2016, actively fanning fears of Islamization and migrant crime. Its noisy nationalism and anti-immigrant stance were what first catapulted it into Parliament and instantly turned it into Germany’s main opposition party.

But the party has struggled to expand its early gains during the past 18 months, as the pandemic and, more recently, climate change have shot to the top of the list of voters’ concerns — while its core issue of immigration has barely featured in this year’s election campaign.

The AfD has tried to jump on the chaos in Afghanistan to fan fears of a new migrant crisis. “Cologne, Kassel or Konstanz can’t cope with more Kabul,” one of the party’s campaign posters asserted. “Save the world? Sure. But Germany first!” another read.

At a recent election rally north of Frankfurt, Chrupalla demanded that lawmakers “abolish” the constitutional right to asylum. He also told the public broadcaster Deutsche Welle that Germany should be prepared to protect its borders, “if need be with armed force.”

None of this rhetoric has shifted the race, particularly because voters seem to have more fundamental concerns about the party’s aura of extremism. Some AfD leaders have marched with extremists in the streets, while among the party’s supporters are an eclectic array of conspiracy theorists and neo-Nazi sympathizers.

The AfD has not been linked directly to political violence, but its verbal transgressions have contributed to a normalization of violent language and coincided with a series of deadly far-right terrorist attacks.

In June 2019, a regional politician who had defended Merkel’s refugee policy was shot dead on his front porch by a well-known neo-Nazi. The killer later told the court that he had attended a high-profile AfD protest a year earlier.

Since then, a far-right extremist has attacked a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle during a Yom Kippur service, leaving two dead and only narrowly failing to commit a massacre. Another extremist shot dead nine mostly young people with immigrant roots in the western city of Hanau.

The AfD’s earlier rise in the polls stalled almost instantly after the Hanau attack.

“After these three attacks, the wider German public and media realized for the first time that the rhetoric of the AfD leads to real violence,” said Hajo Funke of the Free University in Berlin, who has written extensively about the party and tracks its evolution.

“It was a turning point,” he said. “They have come to personify the notion that words lead to deeds.”

Shortly after the Hanau attack, Thomas Haldenwang, the chief of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, placed elements of the AfD under surveillance for far-right extremism — even as the party’s lawmakers continued to work in Parliament.

“We know from German history that far-right extremism didn’t just destroy human lives, it destroyed democracy,” Haldenwang warned after announcing his decision in March last year. “Far-right extremism and far-right terrorism are currently the biggest danger for democracy in Germany.”

Today, the agency has classified about a third of all AfD members as extremist, including Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, the party’s other lead candidate. A court is reviewing whether the entire party can soon be placed under formal observation.

“The AfD is irrelevant in power-political terms,” said Funke. “But it is dangerous.”

Chrupalla, a decorator who occasionally takes the stage in his overalls, and Weidel, a suit-wearing former Goldman Sachs analyst and gay mother of two, have sought to counter that impression. As if to hammer home the point, the party’s main election slogan this year is: “Germany — but normal.”

A look through the party’s 207-page election program shows what “normal” means: The AfD demands Germany’s exit from the European Union. It calls for the abolition of any mandates to fight the coronavirus. It wants to return to the traditional German definition of citizenship based on blood ancestry. And it is the only party in Parliament that denies man-made climate change.

That the AfD’s polling numbers have barely budged for the past 18 months suggests that its supporters are not protest voters but Germans who subscribe to its ideas and ideology.

“The AfD has brought out into the open a small but very radical electorate that many thought we don’t have in this country,” said Quent, the sociologist. “Four years ago people were asking: ‘Where does this come from?’ In reality it was always there. It just needed a trigger.”

Quent and other experts estimate the nationwide ceiling of support for the party at around 14%. But in parts of the former communist East, where the AfD has become a broad-based political force entrenched at the local level, it is often twice that — enough to make it the region’s second-strongest political force.

Among the under 60-year-olds, Quent said, it has become No. 1.

“It’s only a question of time until AfD is the strongest party in the East,” Quent said.

That is why Chrupalla, whose constituency is in the eastern state of Saxony, the one state where the AfD already came first in 2017, predicts it will eventually become too big to bypass.

“In the East we are a people’s party, we are well-established at the local, city, regional and state level,” Chrupalla said. “In the East the middle class votes for the AfD. In the West, they vote for the Greens.”

They promised they would “hunt” the elites. They questioned the need for a Holocaust memorial in Berlin and described Muslim immigrants as “headscarf girls” and “knife men.

They promised they would “hunt” the elites. They questioned the need for a Holocaust memorial in Berlin and described Muslim immigrants as “headscarf girls” and “knife men.” Four years ago the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, arrived in the German Parliament like a wrecking ball, the first far-right party to win a place at the heart of Germany’s democracy since World War II. It was a political earthquake in a country that had once seen Hitler’s Nazi party rise from the fringes to win power in free elections. As another election looms on Sunday, the worst fears of many Germans have not come true: Support for the party has dipped. But neither have the hopes that the AfD would disappear from the political scene as suddenly as it appeared. If Germany’s fate in this election will not be settled by the far right, political analysts say, Germany’s future will partly be shaped by it. “The AfD is here to stay,” said Matthias Quent, professor of sociology at Magdeburg University of Applied Sciences and an expert on the far right. “There was the widespread and naïve hope that this was a short-lived protest phenomenon. The reality is that the far right has become entrenched in the German political landscape.” The AfD is polling at roughly 11%, just below its 2017 result of 12.6%, and is all but guaranteed to retain its presence in Parliament. (Parties with less than 5% of the vote do not get any seats.) But with all other parties refusing to include the AfD in talks about forming the next governing coalition, it is effectively barred from power. “The AfD is isolated,” said Uwe Jun, a professor of political science at Trier University. Yet with Germany’s two main parties having slipped well below the 30% mark, the AfD remains a disruptive force, one that complicates efforts to build a governing coalition with a majority of votes and parliamentary seats. Tino Chrupalla, one of the AfD’s two lead candidates in the election, believes that, eventually, the firewall other parties have erected against his party will crumble — most likely starting in one of the states in the former communist East that is currently its power base. “It’s not sustainable,” he said. “I’m confident that sooner or later there is no way without the AfD,” he told reporters this past week. “It will certainly start on the state level.” Founded eight years ago as a nationalist free-market protest party against the Greek bailout and the euro, the AfD has sharply shifted to the right. The party seized on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to welcome over 1 million migrants to Germany in 2015 and 2016, actively fanning fears of Islamization and migrant crime. Its noisy nationalism and anti-immigrant stance were what first catapulted it into Parliament and instantly turned it into Germany’s main opposition party. But the party has struggled to expand its early gains during the past 18 months, as the pandemic and, more recently, climate change have shot to the top of the list of voters’ concerns — while its core issue of immigration has barely featured in this year’s election campaign. The AfD has tried to jump on the chaos in Afghanistan to fan fears of a new migrant crisis. “Cologne, Kassel or Konstanz can’t cope with more Kabul,” one of the party’s campaign posters asserted. “Save the world? Sure. But Germany first!” another read. At a recent election rally north of Frankfurt, Chrupalla demanded that lawmakers “abolish” the constitutional right to asylum. He also told the public broadcaster Deutsche Welle that Germany should be prepared to protect its borders, “if need be with armed force.” None of this rhetoric has shifted the race, particularly because voters seem to have more fundamental concerns about the party’s aura of extremism. Some AfD leaders have marched with extremists in the streets, while among the party’s supporters are an eclectic array of conspiracy theorists and neo-Nazi sympathizers. The AfD has not been linked directly to political violence, but its verbal transgressions have contributed to a normalization of violent language and coincided with a series of deadly far-right terrorist attacks. In June 2019, a regional politician who had defended Merkel’s refugee policy was shot dead on his front porch by a well-known neo-Nazi. The killer later told the court that he had attended a high-profile AfD protest a year earlier. Since then, a far-right extremist has attacked a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle during a Yom Kippur service, leaving two dead and only narrowly failing to commit a massacre. Another extremist shot dead nine mostly young people with immigrant roots in the western city of Hanau. The AfD’s earlier rise in the polls stalled almost instantly after the Hanau attack. “After these three attacks, the wider German public and media realized for the first time that the rhetoric of the AfD leads to real violence,” said Hajo Funke of the Free University in Berlin, who has written extensively about the party and tracks its evolution. “It was a turning point,” he said. “They have come to personify the notion that words lead to deeds.” Shortly after the Hanau attack, Thomas Haldenwang, the chief of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, placed elements of the AfD under surveillance for far-right extremism — even as the party’s lawmakers continued to work in Parliament. “We know from German history that far-right extremism didn’t just destroy human lives, it destroyed democracy,” Haldenwang warned after announcing his decision in March last year. “Far-right extremism and far-right terrorism are currently the biggest danger for democracy in Germany.” Today, the agency has classified about a third of all AfD members as extremist, including Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, the party’s other lead candidate. A court is reviewing whether the entire party can soon be placed under formal observation. “The AfD is irrelevant in power-political terms,” said Funke. “But it is dangerous.” Chrupalla, a decorator who occasionally takes the stage in his overalls, and Weidel, a suit-wearing former Goldman Sachs analyst and gay mother of two, have sought to counter that impression. As if to hammer home the point, the party’s main election slogan this year is: “Germany — but normal.” A look through the party’s 207-page election program shows what “normal” means: The AfD demands Germany’s exit from the European Union. It calls for the abolition of any mandates to fight the coronavirus. It wants to return to the traditional German definition of citizenship based on blood ancestry. And it is the only party in Parliament that denies man-made climate change. That the AfD’s polling numbers have barely budged for the past 18 months suggests that its supporters are not protest voters but Germans who subscribe to its ideas and ideology. “The AfD has brought out into the open a small but very radical electorate that many thought we don’t have in this country,” said Quent, the sociologist. “Four years ago people were asking: ‘Where does this come from?’ In reality it was always there. It just needed a trigger.” Quent and other experts estimate the nationwide ceiling of support for the party at around 14%. But in parts of the former communist East, where the AfD has become a broad-based political force entrenched at the local level, it is often twice that — enough to make it the region’s second-strongest political force. Among the under 60-year-olds, Quent said, it has become No. 1. “It’s only a question of time until AfD is the strongest party in the East,” Quent said. That is why Chrupalla, whose constituency is in the eastern state of Saxony, the one state where the AfD already came first in 2017, predicts it will eventually become too big to bypass. “In the East we are a people’s party, we are well-established at the local, city, regional and state level,” Chrupalla said. “In the East the middle class votes for the AfD. In the West, they vote for the Greens.”

Germany’s far-right is nowhere in the election. But it’s ‘here to stay.’

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel will step down at the end of this year after serving 16 years as the head of Germany's government. Merkel had entered politics at the age of 35.

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel steps down after serving 16 years as head of Germany's govt

The candidates to become Germany’s next chancellor had faced off in a TV debate. Armin Laschet, the candidate from Angela Merkel's party CDU tried to turn his fortunes around by attacking finance minister Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) over his track record on tackling money laundering and corruption.

German election candidates face off in first TV debate

Germany's Left-wing Social Democratic Party is soaring ahead in opinion polls. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Conservative alliance is trailing behind. The country will go to polls on September 26. Who is going to win? Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Germany's Left-Wing party soars in opinion polls

Germany wants to talk to the Taliban about how to evacuate its remaining local contract workers from Afghanistan, Chancellor Angela Merkel said. She said that it was a good sign that the airport in Kabul could be used for flights again.

Germany says ready to hold talks with Taliban

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday called for a dialogue with the Taliban as the hardline Islamists finalise a new government that will set the tone for their rule in Afghanistan.

"We simply have to talk to the Taliban about how we can get people who have worked for Germany out of the country and bring them to safety," Merkel told a press conference in North Rhine-Westphalia state.

"They are the ones we have to talk to now. We want to get people out of the country who have worked for German development organisations in particular and who now feel threatened," Merkel said.

The Taliban swooped into power in Afghanistan three weeks ago, prompting a hurried effort by Western states to evacuate their citizens and Afghans who had worked for their armies and aid organisations.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-how-america-benefits-from-wars-410726">WATCH |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-how-america-benefits-from-wars-410726/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Facing the challenge of morphing from insurgents to rulers, the Taliban appear determined to snuff out fighting in the Panjshir valley before announcing who will lead the country in the aftermath of last week's US troop withdrawal.

Afghanistan's new rulers have promised a more "inclusive" government that represents Afghanistan's complex ethnic makeup — though women are unlikely to be included at the top levels.

While the West has adopted a wait-and-see approach to the group, there are some signs of engagement with the new leaders gathering pace.

Earlier on Sunday, Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that the Taliban wanted "strong and official diplomatic relations with Germany".

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday called for a dialogue with the Taliban as the hardline Islamists finalise a new government that will set the tone for their rule in Afghanistan.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday called for a dialogue with the Taliban as the hardline Islamists finalise a new government that will set the tone for their rule in Afghanistan. "We simply have to talk to the Taliban about how we can get people who have worked for Germany out of the country and bring them to safety," Merkel told a press conference in North Rhine-Westphalia state. "They are the ones we have to talk to now. We want to get people out of the country who have worked for German development organisations in particular and who now feel threatened," Merkel said. The Taliban swooped into power in Afghanistan three weeks ago, prompting a hurried effort by Western states to evacuate their citizens and Afghans who had worked for their armies and aid organisations. WATCH | Facing the challenge of morphing from insurgents to rulers, the Taliban appear determined to snuff out fighting in the Panjshir valley before announcing who will lead the country in the aftermath of last week's US troop withdrawal. Afghanistan's new rulers have promised a more "inclusive" government that represents Afghanistan's complex ethnic makeup — though women are unlikely to be included at the top levels. While the West has adopted a wait-and-see approach to the group, there are some signs of engagement with the new leaders gathering pace. Earlier on Sunday, Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that the Taliban wanted "strong and official diplomatic relations with Germany".

Talks with Taliban must continue to evacuate more people: Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will return on Friday to the scene of deadly flooding in July in a bid to restore support for her embattled party before this month's national election.

After the disaster put crisis management and climate change back at the top of the agenda, Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their unpopular candidate, Armin Laschet, have been haemorrhaging support.

With the September 26 vote fast approaching, the outgoing Merkel will check in on the flood-stricken community of Altenahr in Rhineland-Palatinate state on Friday, followed by two inundated towns in Laschet's own neighbouring North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-quotes-putin-on-afghan-crisis-attributes-it-to-germanys-merkel-410209" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-quotes-putin-on-afghan-crisis-attributes-it-to-germanys-merkel-410209&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjCpZSG8uHyAhVQ7nMBHZMJBxsQFjABegQICBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mhm446Onwh-1mata17RXJ" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-quotes-putin-on-afghan-crisis-attributes-it-to-germanys-merkel-410209" target="_blank">Pope quotes Putin on Afghan crisis, attributes it to Germany's&nbsp;Merkel</a>

Merkel, who will retire from politics when a new government is in place, made a well-received visit in the immediate aftermath of the deluge, offering empathy and billions in federal aid to rebuild ravaged infrastructure.

The appearance stood in marked contrast with a politically calamitous stop by Laschet in what is now widely seen as a fateful moment in the erstwhile frontrunner's campaign.&nbsp;

As President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gave a sombre speech mourning the floods' 181 victims, the CDU leader was caught on camera behind him joking and laughing with local officials.

'Put foot in it'

The two appearances gave voters a chance to directly compare the luckless Laschet with Merkel, political scientist Ursula Muench told AFP.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-angela-merkel-receives-world-health-award-410055" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-angela-merkel-receives-world-health-award-410055&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjCpZSG8uHyAhVQ7nMBHZMJBxsQFjADegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0i0EKoIym62ARA3HRr775Y" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-angela-merkel-receives-world-health-award-410055" target="_blank">Germany's Angela&nbsp;Merkel&nbsp;receives World Health award</a>

"Merkel went there and listened and had the right expression and the right gestures and Laschet managed to put his foot in it," said Muench, director of the Academy for Political Education near Munich.

She noted that after Merkel's 16 years in office, her shadow looms large over the race -- particularly as Laschet's chief rival, Social Democratic Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, also tries to present himself as her rightful heir.

His party is now polling at around 25 percent, four points up on Laschet's conservatives.

The Christian Democrats are now encouraging as many joint appearances as possible between Merkel and Laschet, who will accompany her on Sunday.

However the visit carries some political risk as emotions are still running high in the stricken region.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/merkel-germanys-eternal-chancellor-prepares-to-leave-the-stage-409995" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/merkel-germanys-eternal-chancellor-prepares-to-leave-the-stage-409995&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjCpZSG8uHyAhVQ7nMBHZMJBxsQFjAFegQICRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0hmqoLdDyk7aoDNlr0X664" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/merkel-germanys-eternal-chancellor-prepares-to-leave-the-stage-409995" target="_blank">Merkel, Germany's 'eternal' chancellor, prepares to leave the stage</a>

In the village of Dernau, where entire streets are still uninhabitable, clean-up volunteer Christine Jahn complained this week about red tape holding up tranches of a pledged 30 billion euros ($36 billion) in federal and state aid.

"I want less babbling and more getting on with it, so that the money arrives without bureaucracy," the 66-year-old told AFP.

Public anger has also focused on a failure to sufficiently warn vulnerable residents or rush them to safety before the waters surged through their community.&nbsp;

Prosecutors in August launched a criminal investigation against the district chief of hard-hit Ahrweiler for negligence as warnings were made belatedly, resulting in the deaths of dozens of residents.

Flippant response?

The catastrophe also renewed the focus on climate change, which 80 percent of Germans say they want more political action to mitigate, according to a poll for broadcaster RTL published on Wednesday.

A major international study last month found that manmade global warming made the deadly floods in Germany as well as Belgium up to nine times more likely.

In the Ahr and Erft regions of Germany, 93 millimetres (3.6 inches) of rain fell in a single day at the height of the crisis.

In the immediate aftermath, Laschet drew criticism for seemingly contradictory statements in a TV interview on the urgency of addressing the climate crisis.

Asked whether he thought the government had made mistakes on the issue, Laschet said it would be wrong to "change policies just because of one day" in what sounded to many critics like a flippant response to the disaster.

All eyes will now be on Laschet, whose CDU has shed around 13 points in support since he became party leader in January and is still on a downward slide, to see whether he can find his footing again before election day.&nbsp;

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will return on Friday to the scene of deadly flooding in July in a bid to restore support for her embattled party before this month's national election.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will return on Friday to the scene of deadly flooding in July in a bid to restore support for her embattled party before this month's national election. After the disaster put crisis management and climate change back at the top of the agenda, Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their unpopular candidate, Armin Laschet, have been haemorrhaging support. With the September 26 vote fast approaching, the outgoing Merkel will check in on the flood-stricken community of Altenahr in Rhineland-Palatinate state on Friday, followed by two inundated towns in Laschet's own neighbouring North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday. Also read | Pope quotes Putin on Afghan crisis, attributes it to Germany's Merkel Merkel, who will retire from politics when a new government is in place, made a well-received visit in the immediate aftermath of the deluge, offering empathy and billions in federal aid to rebuild ravaged infrastructure. The appearance stood in marked contrast with a politically calamitous stop by Laschet in what is now widely seen as a fateful moment in the erstwhile frontrunner's campaign. As President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gave a sombre speech mourning the floods' 181 victims, the CDU leader was caught on camera behind him joking and laughing with local officials. 'Put foot in it' The two appearances gave voters a chance to directly compare the luckless Laschet with Merkel, political scientist Ursula Muench told AFP. Also read | Germany's Angela Merkel receives World Health award "Merkel went there and listened and had the right expression and the right gestures and Laschet managed to put his foot in it," said Muench, director of the Academy for Political Education near Munich. She noted that after Merkel's 16 years in office, her shadow looms large over the race -- particularly as Laschet's chief rival, Social Democratic Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, also tries to present himself as her rightful heir. His party is now polling at around 25 percent, four points up on Laschet's conservatives. The Christian Democrats are now encouraging as many joint appearances as possible between Merkel and Laschet, who will accompany her on Sunday. However the visit carries some political risk as emotions are still running high in the stricken region. Also read | Merkel, Germany's 'eternal' chancellor, prepares to leave the stage In the village of Dernau, where entire streets are still uninhabitable, clean-up volunteer Christine Jahn complained this week about red tape holding up tranches of a pledged 30 billion euros ($36 billion) in federal and state aid. "I want less babbling and more getting on with it, so that the money arrives without bureaucracy," the 66-year-old told AFP. Public anger has also focused on a failure to sufficiently warn vulnerable residents or rush them to safety before the waters surged through their community. Prosecutors in August launched a criminal investigation against the district chief of hard-hit Ahrweiler for negligence as warnings were made belatedly, resulting in the deaths of dozens of residents. Flippant response? The catastrophe also renewed the focus on climate change, which 80 percent of Germans say they want more political action to mitigate, according to a poll for broadcaster RTL published on Wednesday. A major international study last month found that manmade global warming made the deadly floods in Germany as well as Belgium up to nine times more likely. In the Ahr and Erft regions of Germany, 93 millimetres (3.6 inches) of rain fell in a single day at the height of the crisis. In the immediate aftermath, Laschet drew criticism for seemingly contradictory statements in a TV interview on the urgency of addressing the climate crisis. Asked whether he thought the government had made mistakes on the issue, Laschet said it would be wrong to "change policies just because of one day" in what sounded to many critics like a flippant response to the disaster. All eyes will now be on Laschet, whose CDU has shed around 13 points in support since he became party leader in January and is still on a downward slide, to see whether he can find his footing again before election day.

Merkel, party's heir apparent to make risky flood zone tour

Vatican’s Pope Francis criticised the 'forever war' in Afghanistan and blamed west’s two-decade long involvement in it. He expressed his emotions by quoting words of Vladimir Putin, but incorrectly attributed them to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

During a radio interview on Wednesday, the Pope was questioned about the recent crisis in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the South Asian country.

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"It is necessary to put an end to the irresponsible policy of intervening from outside and building democracy in other countries, ignoring the traditions of the peoples," the Pope said.

Pope assumed these words were spoken by German Chancellor Angela Merkel whom he called "one of the world's greatest political figures". However, the words were actually said by Russian President Vladimir Putin when Merkel was visiting Moscow last month.

Putin had said these words on August 20 while criticising the West over its involvement in Afghan crisis. The Russian leader believes that the Western countries have forcefully enforced their own version of democracy but have not been able to help the Afghans appropriately.

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Merkel had then joined his narrative and agreed that the operation has failed to substantiate a proper and democratic future for Afghans, as the Taliban took control of the country.

"We did not want to force any system on Afghanistan," Merkel had said. "But we saw that millions of girls were glad to go to school and that women could participate. There are many in Afghanistan who are very, very unhappy about developments now."

Merkel’s spokesperson has said her stand on the Afghan crisis is well known and has been repeated during recent speech in German Parliament. However, there has been no official statement on the Pope slip-up.

Meanwhile, the radio station has claimed that they had assumed the content was vetted by the Pope himself and his team.

"I don’t know whether there will be a review or not (about what happened during the withdrawal), but certainly there was a lot of deception perhaps on the part of the new (Afghan) authorities," Pope had added. "I say deceit or a lot of naivety."

Vatican’s Pope Francis criticised the 'forever war' in Afghanistan and blamed west’s two-decade long involvement in it. He expressed his emotions by quoting words of Vladimir Putin, but incorrectly attributed them to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

Vatican’s Pope Francis criticised the 'forever war' in Afghanistan and blamed west’s two-decade long involvement in it. He expressed his emotions by quoting words of Vladimir Putin, but incorrectly attributed them to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. During a radio interview on Wednesday, the Pope was questioned about the recent crisis in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the South Asian country. Also read | Pope Francis takes time out with some Foosball "It is necessary to put an end to the irresponsible policy of intervening from outside and building democracy in other countries, ignoring the traditions of the peoples," the Pope said. Pope assumed these words were spoken by German Chancellor Angela Merkel whom he called "one of the world's greatest political figures". However, the words were actually said by Russian President Vladimir Putin when Merkel was visiting Moscow last month. Putin had said these words on August 20 while criticising the West over its involvement in Afghan crisis. The Russian leader believes that the Western countries have forcefully enforced their own version of democracy but have not been able to help the Afghans appropriately. Also read | Learn to switch off, says Pope Francis after successful surgery Merkel had then joined his narrative and agreed that the operation has failed to substantiate a proper and democratic future for Afghans, as the Taliban took control of the country. "We did not want to force any system on Afghanistan," Merkel had said. "But we saw that millions of girls were glad to go to school and that women could participate. There are many in Afghanistan who are very, very unhappy about developments now." Merkel’s spokesperson has said her stand on the Afghan crisis is well known and has been repeated during recent speech in German Parliament. However, there has been no official statement on the Pope slip-up. Meanwhile, the radio station has claimed that they had assumed the content was vetted by the Pope himself and his team. "I don’t know whether there will be a review or not (about what happened during the withdrawal), but certainly there was a lot of deception perhaps on the part of the new (Afghan) authorities," Pope had added. "I say deceit or a lot of naivety."

Pope quotes Putin on Afghan crisis, attributes it to Germany's Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, September 1 opened a new epidemic intelligence hub with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

The chancellor took a blushing approach to high praise heaped on her by Ghebreyesus, thanking him for the 'heavy' medal and saying that there was still much to be done.

At the opening of the hub, Merkel said: "We want to be better armed for future pandemics and epidemics... if I am honest it wasn't really clear to me that a pandemic could hit Europe one day. At the time we were working on the basis of this not coming to Europe but now we have experienced it first hand and must learn our lessons from it."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/merkel-germanys-eternal-chancellor-prepares-to-leave-the-stage-409995" hreflang="en">Merkel, Germany's 'eternal' chancellor, prepares to leave the stage</a>

The hub will serve as a collecting point for all available information on viruses. The data will then be analysed for use in the global fight against pandemics.

Merkel praised Berlin as a location for a hub alongside the Charite hospital and Robert Koch Institute.

The hub and its work will, according to the Berlin Senate, be given 30 million euros funding as a token of German support for the World Health Organisation.

"We must work together and above all we need to understand that it isn't enough if one country is vaccinated. Everyone has to be vaccinated to stop all the mutations preventing us from finding a way out of the pandemic. The pandemic also showed me how much we need the WHO. It is the body for global health and needs solid and reliable financing," said.

The hub offers: "a bit of hope in these sometimes difficult times," she added.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, September 1 opened a new epidemic intelligence hub with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The chancellor took a blushing approach to high praise heaped on her by Ghebreyesus, thanking him for the 'heavy' medal and saying that there was still much to be done.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, September 1 opened a new epidemic intelligence hub with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The chancellor took a blushing approach to high praise heaped on her by Ghebreyesus, thanking him for the 'heavy' medal and saying that there was still much to be done. At the opening of the hub, Merkel said: "We want to be better armed for future pandemics and epidemics... if I am honest it wasn't really clear to me that a pandemic could hit Europe one day. At the time we were working on the basis of this not coming to Europe but now we have experienced it first hand and must learn our lessons from it." Also read | Merkel, Germany's 'eternal' chancellor, prepares to leave the stage The hub will serve as a collecting point for all available information on viruses. The data will then be analysed for use in the global fight against pandemics. Merkel praised Berlin as a location for a hub alongside the Charite hospital and Robert Koch Institute. The hub and its work will, according to the Berlin Senate, be given 30 million euros funding as a token of German support for the World Health Organisation. "We must work together and above all we need to understand that it isn't enough if one country is vaccinated. Everyone has to be vaccinated to stop all the mutations preventing us from finding a way out of the pandemic. The pandemic also showed me how much we need the WHO. It is the body for global health and needs solid and reliable financing," said. The hub offers: "a bit of hope in these sometimes difficult times," she added.

Germany's Angela Merkel receives World Health award

Centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) were seen extending their lead over German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in a poll published on Monday. Such a situation will increase chance of a left-leaning government coming into power in general elections next month.

The Insa poll for Bild TV showed support for the SPD and their chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz jump by 2 percentage points to 25%, the highest reading in the survey in four years.

Merkel's conservatives and Armin Laschet, their top candidate lost 3 points and reached a record low at 20 per cent.

The ecologist Greens stood at 16.5%, the business-friendly FDP at 13.5%, the far-right AfD at 11% and far-left Die Linke at 7%.

Insa head Hermann Binkert said Laschet could currently only become chancellor with a three-way 'Jamaica coalition' consisting of the black conservatives, the Greens and the yellow FDP.

"Olaf Scholz would have four options in which to lead the government," Binkert added. This included a so-called "traffic light" coalition with the Greens and the FDP and a more left-leaning coalition with the Greens and Die Linke.

Another possibility would be an SPD-led coalition government supported by the Greens and conservatives, or an SPD-led coalition supported by the conservatives and the FPD.

The conservatives rallied behind Laschet, promising to go on the offensive after he struggled to revive their campaign in a televised debate with rivals.

(With inputs from agencies)

Centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) were seen extending their lead over German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in a poll published on Monday. Such a situation will increase chance of a left-leaning government coming into power in general elections next month.

Centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) were seen extending their lead over German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in a poll published on Monday. Such a situation will increase chance of a left-leaning government coming into power in general elections next month. The Insa poll for Bild TV showed support for the SPD and their chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz jump by 2 percentage points to 25%, the highest reading in the survey in four years. Merkel's conservatives and Armin Laschet, their top candidate lost 3 points and reached a record low at 20 per cent. The ecologist Greens stood at 16.5%, the business-friendly FDP at 13.5%, the far-right AfD at 11% and far-left Die Linke at 7%. Insa head Hermann Binkert said Laschet could currently only become chancellor with a three-way 'Jamaica coalition' consisting of the black conservatives, the Greens and the yellow FDP. "Olaf Scholz would have four options in which to lead the government," Binkert added. This included a so-called "traffic light" coalition with the Greens and the FDP and a more left-leaning coalition with the Greens and Die Linke. Another possibility would be an SPD-led coalition government supported by the Greens and conservatives, or an SPD-led coalition supported by the conservatives and the FPD. The conservatives rallied behind Laschet, promising to go on the offensive after he struggled to revive their campaign in a televised debate with rivals. (With inputs from agencies)

German poll: Social Democrats seen racing ahead, setback for Merkel

Germany will continue to evacuate its own nationals from Afghanistan for 'as long as possible', says Chancellor Angela Merkel. She also added that the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan is bitter.

Angela Merkel: Germany to continue Afghanistan evacuations 'for as long as possible'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday began talks with President Vladimir Putin in a historic meet that marks end of an era. This is Merkel's last Russia visit as Germany's chancellor.

She is due to step down after elections this September.

The meet&nbsp;marks end of an era as Merkel, who is from East Germany, meets Putin who was stationed in Dresden&nbsp;during his time as a KGB agent. Both&nbsp;Merkel and Putin speak each other's language fluently.

Putin is the only G-20 leader still around since Merkel took over Germany's top job.&nbsp;

The Russian leader has been described by foes and fans alike as both arrogant and charming.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-spy-faces-investigation-after-she-falls-in-love-with-her-subject-407233">Russian spy faces investigation after she falls in love with her subject</a>

Relations between two of Europe's longest serving leaders soured in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, drawing broad condemnation and sanctions from the West.

Friday's talks coincide with the first anniversary of the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, an incident that severely strained Russia-Germany ties.

Putin gave Merkel flowers before the talks and said he expected a substantive meeting despite it being a "farewell" visit.

Merkel said the two had differences of opinion but that it was important to talk. She said she wanted to discuss Afghanistan as well as the situation in Russia with civil society and non-governmental organisations, some of which have been outlawed in a pre-election crackdown.

A news conference is expected at around 1300 GMT.

The anniversary of the poisoning of Navalny, Putin's most vocal domestic critic, is likely to loom large at their talks.

Navalny was flown to Germany last year after being poisoned with what the West concluded was a military nerve agent. Moscow rejects that and alleges a Western smear campaign. Navalny was jailed when he flew back to Russia.

In a letter to mark the anniversary published in three European newspapers on Friday, Navalny appealed to the West to do more to combat corruption in countries like Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday began talks with President Vladimir Putin in a historic meet that marks end of an era. This is Merkel's last Russia visit as Germany's chancellor.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday began talks with President Vladimir Putin in a historic meet that marks end of an era. This is Merkel's last Russia visit as Germany's chancellor. She is due to step down after elections this September. The meet marks end of an era as Merkel, who is from East Germany, meets Putin who was stationed in Dresden during his time as a KGB agent. Both Merkel and Putin speak each other's language fluently. Putin is the only G-20 leader still around since Merkel took over Germany's top job. The Russian leader has been described by foes and fans alike as both arrogant and charming. Also Read | Russian spy faces investigation after she falls in love with her subject Relations between two of Europe's longest serving leaders soured in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, drawing broad condemnation and sanctions from the West. Friday's talks coincide with the first anniversary of the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, an incident that severely strained Russia-Germany ties. Putin gave Merkel flowers before the talks and said he expected a substantive meeting despite it being a "farewell" visit. Merkel said the two had differences of opinion but that it was important to talk. She said she wanted to discuss Afghanistan as well as the situation in Russia with civil society and non-governmental organisations, some of which have been outlawed in a pre-election crackdown. A news conference is expected at around 1300 GMT. The anniversary of the poisoning of Navalny, Putin's most vocal domestic critic, is likely to loom large at their talks. Navalny was flown to Germany last year after being poisoned with what the West concluded was a military nerve agent. Moscow rejects that and alleges a Western smear campaign. Navalny was jailed when he flew back to Russia. In a letter to mark the anniversary published in three European newspapers on Friday, Navalny appealed to the West to do more to combat corruption in countries like Russia. (With inputs from agencies)

Angela Merkel meets Vladimir Putin one last time, marks end of an era

Germany&nbsp;will earmark up to 30 billion euros ($35 billion) to rebuild after last month's deadly floods that washed away homes, businesses and critical infrastructure, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday after talks with regional leaders.

The costs will be shared between the federal government and the 16 states, Merkel said, calling it a "sign of national solidarity".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/debris-mounts-up-after-germanys-historic-floods-402844">Debris mounts up after Germany's historic floods</a>

At least 190 people lost their lives in severe floods that pummelled western&nbsp;Germany&nbsp;in mid-July, with the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia worst hit.

Underlining the scale of the destruction, NRW state premier Armin Laschet, the conservative frontrunner to succeed Merkel, said Monday his region has not had to rebuild thousands of destroyed homes at once since World War II.

The catastrophe has also raised questions over whether enough was done to forewarn residents of the impending disaster.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-prosecutors-launch-probe-over-deadly-floods-403573">German prosecutors launch probe over deadly floods</a>

On Tuesday, Merkel and regional leaders agreed to improve the country's warning system, including by providing states with up to 88 million euros to upgrade and install sirens by 2023.

German prosecutors said last week they have launched an investigation against the district chief of the flood-hit region of Ahrweiler for negligence as warnings were made belatedly, resulting in the deaths of dozens of residents.

Germany will earmark up to 30 billion euros ($35 billion) to rebuild after last month's deadly floods that washed away homes, businesses and critical infrastructure, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday after talks with regional leaders.

Germany will earmark up to 30 billion euros ($35 billion) to rebuild after last month's deadly floods that washed away homes, businesses and critical infrastructure, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday after talks with regional leaders. The costs will be shared between the federal government and the 16 states, Merkel said, calling it a "sign of national solidarity". Also read | Debris mounts up after Germany's historic floods At least 190 people lost their lives in severe floods that pummelled western Germany in mid-July, with the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia worst hit. Underlining the scale of the destruction, NRW state premier Armin Laschet, the conservative frontrunner to succeed Merkel, said Monday his region has not had to rebuild thousands of destroyed homes at once since World War II. The catastrophe has also raised questions over whether enough was done to forewarn residents of the impending disaster. Also read | German prosecutors launch probe over deadly floods On Tuesday, Merkel and regional leaders agreed to improve the country's warning system, including by providing states with up to 88 million euros to upgrade and install sirens by 2023. German prosecutors said last week they have launched an investigation against the district chief of the flood-hit region of Ahrweiler for negligence as warnings were made belatedly, resulting in the deaths of dozens of residents.

Germany earmarks 30 billion euros to rebuild after floods

Armin Laschet has&nbsp;apologised on Friday after becoming the second major German candidate to be accused of plagiarism.

Laschet, the conservative frontrunner to succeed&nbsp;&nbsp;Angela Merkel as chancellor&nbsp;after German elections on September 26, said ''there are obviously mistakes for which I bear responsibility and&nbsp;I would like to apologise.''

Author and development expert Karsten Weitzenegger tweeted on Thursday that a German "plagiarism hunter" had informed him that Laschet had lifted entire sentences from his own work on integration, published a year before.

Annalena Baerbock, the Green party's chancellor candidate, was also accused of plagiarising passages of a book in June.

The scandal was one of a series of blunders that left the Greens trailing badly in the polls, having briefly overtaken the conservatives in April.

Baerbock was also criticised for her failure to declare to parliament a bonus she had received from the party, as well as inaccuracies on her CV that have since been corrected.

But more recently, Laschet has been on the back foot after he was caught on camera laughing in the background during a tribute to the victims of Germany's recent deadly floods.&nbsp;

In a survey for the RTL and NTV broadcasters published Friday, the conservative CDU/CSU alliance was down to 28 percent, while the Greens rose one point to 21 percent.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Armin Laschet has apologised on Friday after becoming the second major German candidate to be accused of plagiarism. Laschet, the conservative frontrunner to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor after German elections on September 26, said ''there are obviously mistakes for which I bear responsibility and I would like to apologise.

Armin Laschet has apologised on Friday after becoming the second major German candidate to be accused of plagiarism. Laschet, the conservative frontrunner to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor after German elections on September 26, said ''there are obviously mistakes for which I bear responsibility and I would like to apologise.'' Author and development expert Karsten Weitzenegger tweeted on Thursday that a German "plagiarism hunter" had informed him that Laschet had lifted entire sentences from his own work on integration, published a year before. Annalena Baerbock, the Green party's chancellor candidate, was also accused of plagiarising passages of a book in June. The scandal was one of a series of blunders that left the Greens trailing badly in the polls, having briefly overtaken the conservatives in April. Baerbock was also criticised for her failure to declare to parliament a bonus she had received from the party, as well as inaccuracies on her CV that have since been corrected. But more recently, Laschet has been on the back foot after he was caught on camera laughing in the background during a tribute to the victims of Germany's recent deadly floods. In a survey for the RTL and NTV broadcasters published Friday, the conservative CDU/CSU alliance was down to 28 percent, while the Greens rose one point to 21 percent. (With inputs from agencies)

Armin Laschet, favourite to succeed Merkel, admits plagiarism accusation

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