The United Kingdom's newly appointed Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, on Saturday (July 6), embarked on his first international trip to Germany. The trip comes just a day after the Labour Party's sweeping victory in the 2024 UK General Election.&nbsp;

<h2>UK 'an indispensable part of Europe'</h2>

In a bid to "reset" relations with European allies, Lammy, 51, met with his German counterpart, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who emphasised that "Together we stand up for #democracy and #freedom in the world."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/keir-starmer-unwilling-to-proceed-with-rwanda-migrant-deportation-plan-738517">UK PM Keir Starmer unwilling to proceed with Rwanda migrant deportation plan</a>

Baerbock's office took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to state that "the United Kingdom is an indispensable part of Europe" and that Germany is eager to collaborate with the new UK government "to see how the UK can move closer to the EU."

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The United Kingdom is an indispensable part of Europe. Whether in science, culture or security - 🇩🇪 and 🇬🇧 work closely together: We are working with the new UK government to see how the UK can move closer to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EU?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EU</a>. 5/5
— GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) <a href="https://twitter.com/GermanyDiplo/status/1809649921798119904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Lammy, who succeeded Conservative David Cameron as foreign secretary, shared photos of his meeting with Baerbock on X, along with the caption: "It's time to reset our relationship with our European friends and allies. That's why I'm in Germany, on my first visit as Foreign Secretary."

<h2>Key Discussions on NATO, Ukraine, and Climate Change</h2>

The talks between Lammy and Baerbock, as per reports, covered a range of pressing issues, including boosting NATO's support for Ukraine, addressing the situation in the Middle East, and tackling climate change.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/inside-nigel-farages-rise-that-shows-extent-of-its-impact-in-uk-elections-738547">Inside Nigel Farage's rise that shows extent of its impact in UK elections</a>

"Together @ABaerbock and I will address shared threats and support Ukraine," wrote Lammy on X.&nbsp;

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It's time to reset our relationship with our European friends and allies. That's why I'm in Germany, on my first visit as Foreign Secretary. 
 
Together <a href="https://twitter.com/ABaerbock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABaerbock</a> and I will address shared threats and support Ukraine. 
 
Still made time for the football - come on England! <a href="https://t.co/qlGXbO5R0f">pic.twitter.com/qlGXbO5R0f</a>
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidLammy/status/1809661622769840132?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>A Touch of Football Diplomacy</h2>

On X, Lammy also said that amid serious discussions, he and Baerbock "still made time for the football."

"Come on England," he added, posting a picture of them watching England's Euro 2024 quarter-final match against Switzerland on a laptop.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The United Kingdom's newly appointed Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, on Saturday (July 6), embarked on his first international trip to Germany. The trip comes just a day after the Labour Party's sweeping victory in the 2024 UK General Election.

The United Kingdom's newly appointed Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, on Saturday (July 6), embarked on his first international trip to Germany. The trip comes just a day after the Labour Party's sweeping victory in the 2024 UK General Election. UK 'an indispensable part of Europe' In a bid to "reset" relations with European allies, Lammy, 51, met with his German counterpart, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who emphasised that "Together we stand up for #democracy and #freedom in the world." Also read | UK PM Keir Starmer unwilling to proceed with Rwanda migrant deportation plan Baerbock's office took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to state that "the United Kingdom is an indispensable part of Europe" and that Germany is eager to collaborate with the new UK government "to see how the UK can move closer to the EU." The United Kingdom is an indispensable part of Europe. Whether in science, culture or security - 🇩🇪 and 🇬🇧 work closely together: We are working with the new UK government to see how the UK can move closer to the #EU. 5/5 — GermanForeignOffice (@GermanyDiplo) July 6, 2024 × Lammy, who succeeded Conservative David Cameron as foreign secretary, shared photos of his meeting with Baerbock on X, along with the caption: "It's time to reset our relationship with our European friends and allies. That's why I'm in Germany, on my first visit as Foreign Secretary." Key Discussions on NATO, Ukraine, and Climate Change The talks between Lammy and Baerbock, as per reports, covered a range of pressing issues, including boosting NATO's support for Ukraine, addressing the situation in the Middle East, and tackling climate change. Also read | Inside Nigel Farage's rise that shows extent of its impact in UK elections "Together @ABaerbock and I will address shared threats and support Ukraine," wrote Lammy on X. It's time to reset our relationship with our European friends and allies. That's why I'm in Germany, on my first visit as Foreign Secretary. Together @ABaerbock and I will address shared threats and support Ukraine. Still made time for the football - come on England! pic.twitter.com/qlGXbO5R0f — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 6, 2024 × A Touch of Football Diplomacy On X, Lammy also said that amid serious discussions, he and Baerbock "still made time for the football." "Come on England," he added, posting a picture of them watching England's Euro 2024 quarter-final match against Switzerland on a laptop. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's new foreign secretary David Lammy visits Germany, calls for 'reset' in EU relations

China has summoned its German ambassador after the country's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator, Berlin has confirmed.

China has summoned its German ambassador after the country's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator, Berlin has confirmed. On September 14, Foreign Minister Baerbock spoke to Fox News where she talked about the ongoing war in Ukraine. "If Putin were to win this war, what sign would that be for other dictators in the world, like Xi, like the Chinese president? So therefore Ukraine has to win this war," Baerbock told the network. Speaking to the news agency AFP, a foreign ministry spokesman in Berlin confirmed that the envoy was summoned to the Chinese foreign ministry last Sunday over Baerbock's remarks. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's view on the remarks is not yet known. 'Strongly dissatisfied': China on Baerbock's remarks On Monday, the Chinese foreign minister said that it was "strongly dissatisfied" with Baerbock's remarks. "(The comments) are extremely absurd and are a serious infringement of China's political dignity and an open political provocation," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a daily news conference. Even though Germany and China are major trade partners, their ties have been affected as some officials in the German government have taken a harder line over issues ranging from human rights to Taiwan. Foreign Minister Baerbock has pushed for a more hawkish line and has called for a tougher stance and greater emphasis on human rights. On being asked about China's protests over her remarks during a visit to New York, Baerbock replied that she had "taken note" of them. Third time China summoned German envoy This was the third time that China summoned Germany's ambassador, AFP reported. In March this year, Beijing summoned the ambassador over German Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger's visit to Taiwan, the first cabinet-level German visit to the island in 26 years. In addition to this, Beijing summoned the German envoy following a G7 foreign ministers' statement about Taiwan in August last year, when Germany was holding the presidency of the group. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China summons German ambassador over foreign minister's 'dictator' remarks on Xi

Germany's foreign minister and Annalena Baerbock had to axe her trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. The decision was taken over repeated technical problems plaguing her government plane Baerbock had left on Sunday for the Indo-Pacific tour but her plane suffered an outage after refuelling in Abu Dhabi.

German FM Annalena Baerbock axes trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji

Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made a surprise visit to the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv near the Russian border on Tuesday, promising more weapons as well as "concrete offers" to help Ukraine join the European Union.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visits Kharkiv

During her visit to India, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday (December 5) discussed several issues of mutual interest, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. &nbsp;

Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that he had a wide-ranging conversation today with his german counterpart in India's capital, New Delhi. &nbsp;

Jaishankar said that they took forward the frequent exchanges and discussions held this time in "greater detail". He tweeted, "Reviewed our bilateral ties and shared perspectives on a number of important regional and global issues."&nbsp;

In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the West imposed sanctions on Moscow. The Western countries also raised concerns about India's trade ties with Russia.&nbsp;

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A wide ranging conversation today with FM <a href="https://twitter.com/ABaerbock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ABaerbock</a> of Germany. Took forward our frequent exchanges, this time in greater detail. 
 
Reviewed our bilateral ties and shared perspectives on a number of important regional and global issues. <a href="https://t.co/ibNUs34S38">pic.twitter.com/ibNUs34S38</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1599683808869351424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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While commenting on the same, Jaishankar said that India's trade with Russia is at a very "small level" in comparison to European nations.&nbsp; 
During the joint press conference with visiting German foreign minister, Jaishankar was asked about Russia sending a list of requests to India and how is it different from the past.&nbsp;

Jaishankar said, "We have been discussing for some years now with Russia on how to expand our trade. Our trade with Russia is really quite small level. I would say generally it's been in the 12-13 billion dollar if you compare it to most European countries. Most of them have multiple times that trade."&nbsp;

Jaishankar also hinted that India will prioritize its own energy needs and continue to buy oil from Russia, despite the Western pressure.&nbsp;

Jaishankar said, "We have faced challenges it often happens in trade you know phytosanitary standards or non-tattoo and other regulatory impediments. So, at the moment you know the ongoing discussion and what either side can import from each other that is the context in which it is taking place."&nbsp;

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During her visit to India, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday (December 5) discussed several issues of mutual interest, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

During her visit to India, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday (December 5) discussed several issues of mutual interest, including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that he had a wide-ranging conversation today with his german counterpart in India's capital, New Delhi. Jaishankar said that they took forward the frequent exchanges and discussions held this time in "greater detail". He tweeted, "Reviewed our bilateral ties and shared perspectives on a number of important regional and global issues." In the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the West imposed sanctions on Moscow. The Western countries also raised concerns about India's trade ties with Russia. A wide ranging conversation today with FM @ABaerbock of Germany. Took forward our frequent exchanges, this time in greater detail. Reviewed our bilateral ties and shared perspectives on a number of important regional and global issues. pic.twitter.com/ibNUs34S38 — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) December 5, 2022 × While commenting on the same, Jaishankar said that India's trade with Russia is at a very "small level" in comparison to European nations. During the joint press conference with visiting German foreign minister, Jaishankar was asked about Russia sending a list of requests to India and how is it different from the past. Jaishankar said, "We have been discussing for some years now with Russia on how to expand our trade. Our trade with Russia is really quite small level. I would say generally it's been in the 12-13 billion dollar if you compare it to most European countries. Most of them have multiple times that trade." Jaishankar also hinted that India will prioritize its own energy needs and continue to buy oil from Russia, despite the Western pressure. Jaishankar said, "We have faced challenges it often happens in trade you know phytosanitary standards or non-tattoo and other regulatory impediments. So, at the moment you know the ongoing discussion and what either side can import from each other that is the context in which it is taking place." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Jaishankar says India's trade with Russia is 'quite small' compared to European nations

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Germany's foreign minister said on Saturday (October 15) that Russia might spark division in the West through refugees, as the ongoing Ukraine conflict has entered a new turn and Moscow seeks to expand its "hybrid war". Annalena Baerbock at a congress of her Greens' party said, "This war is not only waged with weapons, it is also waged with energy and for that, we have found an answer. But it will also be waged with fear and division, and that is precisely what we have to prevent." ALSO READ | Sweden refuses joint investigation team with Germany, Denmark to probe Nord Stream explosions In reference to Serbia which she accused of letting in migrants without visas, Baerbock said: "In this situation it is clear what will be next -- refugees and not refugees from Ukraine... but because this war is hybrid, other countries are also participating." Baerbock Germany was in talks with the Czech Republic and Slovakia on the issue. The minister stressed that there cannot be a situation "where people are being used as weapons." WATCH | US vows further $725 million aid to Ukraine × Concerns were raised by European Union about a rise in migrants using the Western Balkans (specifically Serbia) as a gateway to enter the bloc, putting the visa-free deal between the EU and Serbia under scrutiny. Serbia's friendly visa policies allow visa-free travel from places like India, Tunisia, etc. And it also enjoys a visa-free travel arrangement with the EU. For people, it becomes easier to travel across the EU after entering Serbia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war: German foreign minister warns Moscow could use 'people as weapons'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday (June 25) said that Russia's war against Ukraine will add another 40 or 50 million more people to the ranks of the hungry.

Speaking at a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Blinken said, "There is no reason other than Russia's blockade of Ukraine and Russia's refusal in many cases to export its own grain for political reasons."

"I would like to highlight that in contrast to what Russia says, it is not the sanctions (that) are responsible" for the crisis, he said.

"Food security is a global good that must not be utilised as a tool for political means," he added.

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To counter Russia's "cynical", potentially destabilising grains war and the corresponding propaganda, all international partners need to working together according to Baerbock.

Accusing Russia of taking the world hostage with its "grain war", Baerbock said Moscow is "deliberately causing food prices to explode ... in order to destabilise entire countries".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-months-into-the-russian-aggression-ukraine-retreats-from-key-embattled-city-of-sievierodonetsk-491358" hreflang="en">Four months into the Russian aggression, Ukraine retreats from key embattled city of Sievierodonetsk</a>

Grain deliveries across the Black Sea have been stalled by minefields and a Russian military blockade of Ukrainian ports as a result of Russia's invasion of top agricultural exporter Ukraine.

Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, food prices have soared and contributed to the global spike in inflation.

Because of their heavy dependence on Russian and Ukrainian wheat, poorer African countries are the most affected as per the United Nations.

Beleaguered British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged an additional 372 million pounds ($456 million) in aid by for the countries worst affected by rising global food prices, including 130 million pounds for the World Food Programme this financial year. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday (June 25) said that Russia's war against Ukraine will add another 40 or 50 million more people to the ranks of the hungry.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday (June 25) said that Russia's war against Ukraine will add another 40 or 50 million more people to the ranks of the hungry. Speaking at a joint news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Blinken said, "There is no reason other than Russia's blockade of Ukraine and Russia's refusal in many cases to export its own grain for political reasons." "I would like to highlight that in contrast to what Russia says, it is not the sanctions (that) are responsible" for the crisis, he said. "Food security is a global good that must not be utilised as a tool for political means," he added. × To counter Russia's "cynical", potentially destabilising grains war and the corresponding propaganda, all international partners need to working together according to Baerbock. Accusing Russia of taking the world hostage with its "grain war", Baerbock said Moscow is "deliberately causing food prices to explode ... in order to destabilise entire countries". Also read | Four months into the Russian aggression, Ukraine retreats from key embattled city of Sievierodonetsk Grain deliveries across the Black Sea have been stalled by minefields and a Russian military blockade of Ukrainian ports as a result of Russia's invasion of top agricultural exporter Ukraine. Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, food prices have soared and contributed to the global spike in inflation. Because of their heavy dependence on Russian and Ukrainian wheat, poorer African countries are the most affected as per the United Nations. Beleaguered British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged an additional 372 million pounds ($456 million) in aid by for the countries worst affected by rising global food prices, including 130 million pounds for the World Food Programme this financial year. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Blinken says Russia's war against Ukraine to cast 40-50 million people into hunger

Russia launches an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land air and sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin says his aim is to demilitarize Ukraine. The German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock has slammed Russia for its aggression against Ukraine, listen in.

German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock slams Russia for its aggression against Ukraine

Germany has declined to join allies such as the US and UK in shipping weapons to Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says weapons exports to Ukraine aren't a good idea right now.

Germany refuses to supply weapons to Ukraine

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)

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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)

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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)

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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?

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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

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

Repeatedly questioned about how she will juggle motherhood with work, the only woman with a chance of succeeding Angela Merkel as&nbsp;German Chancellor&nbsp;says many&nbsp;Germans don't seem ready for a mother with young children to take over.

Merkel was&nbsp;Germany's first woman&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;but she never had children. Now the Greens believe 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock faces a lingering stereotype that the incumbent never had to deal with: mothers should be running families, not countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/german-greens-election-hopeful-targeted-by-fake-news-381474">German Greens' election hopeful targeted by fake news</a>

Three months before&nbsp;Germans go to the polls, the media has questioned whether a mother could successfully lead&nbsp;Germany, prompting a heated debate about prevalent sexist attitudes.

On the campaign trail, Baerbock has been asked often about her children. An editor of mass-circulation newspaper Bild asked in an interview: "You are&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;and are in the middle of negotiations, and you suddenly get a call from your children, would you&nbsp;answer? Did your children find it ok that you want to be&nbsp;chancellor?"

The host of a popular political TV talk show, Anne Will, pressed Baerbock on whether she won the Greens' nomination for&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;because she is a woman, even though the party's backing was almost unanimous.

"It's been the elephant in the room for some time now that you only got it because you are a woman," Will said.

Baerbock responded: "I'm not going to have a sex change in the next six months. Of course the question of emancipation played a role but it wasn't the only reason."

The Greens, the only party in the Bundestag national parliament with more female than male lawmakers, briefly surged in the polls to overtake Merkel's conservative bloc after Baerbock's nomination but is now polling some 10 points behind at around 20 per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-greens-make-first-bid-for-chancellery-promise-change-378640">Germany's Greens make first bid for chancellery, promise change</a>

Pollsters say this is a sign that&nbsp;German&nbsp;voters want them to be in the next coalition government but not in the driver's seat.

The ecologist party says the relentless questioning of Baerbock's suitability for top office is unjustified and that the media have not scrutinised her male rivals as vigorously.

It also points to a fake news campaign that appeared online soon after her nomination. This has included false claims that she was paid for a nude photoshoot - the pictures of which turned out to be of a Russian adult entertainment model that bears a striking resemblance to Baerbock - fake quotes that she wants to ban owning pets, and another false report that she does not have a university degree.

"The hate campaign against Baerbock is unprecedented in&nbsp;German&nbsp;election history and far exceeds anything we have seen against Merkel," Michael Butter of the University of Tuebingen said. "It shows that people took it seriously that a Greens&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;could end up leading&nbsp;Germany."

To be sure, missteps by Baerbock like an unreported party bonus and inaccurate details in her curriculum vitae have invited media scrutiny, and her lack of experience in government has been picked on by critics, often with sexist undertones.

"Character Assassination"

Late last month, the Greens hired a prominent libel lawyer to fight allegations that Baerbock had in her new book lifted phrases from other texts without proper citation, accusations rejected by the party as "character assassination".

She has denied any wrongdoing.

Baerbock has shaken up the election campaign with vows to scrap a controversial pipeline project to bring Russian gas to&nbsp;Germany, confront China on its human rights record and permanently abolish strict constitutional limits on new debt to finance a transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

Pollsters say her style and focus on the environment are particularly appealing to young voters, especially women.

Trousers Vs Skirts

Merkel also faced media scrutiny ahead of the 2005 election, in which she won her first term.

Commentators, economists and members of Merkel's own conservative bloc cast doubt on her ability to make sound decisions on the economy. Photographers snapped pictures of sweat stains beneath her armpit as she waved to journalists on the red carpet outside an opera house, which made it to newspapers' front pages.

"Baerbock looks more feminine than Merkel: she is younger, has longer hair, wears dresses and skirts," Katharina Wrohlich of the&nbsp;German&nbsp;Institute for Economic Research DIW said.

"Merkel is older, has shorter hair, and wears trousers and jackets. So this makes her (Baerbock) an easier and more obvious target of gender bias and sexism than Merkel," she said.

Baerbock's male rivals jumped to her defence after the plagiarism accusations surfaced.

Armin Laschet, the conservative&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;candidate most likely to succeed Merkel, said the media's questioning of whether Baerbock could juggle motherhood and the chancellery was inappropriate. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, a chancellor&nbsp;candidate of the Social Democrats, said she was being treated unfairly.

Baerbock summed up how she feels about media coverage of her flagging campaign in an interview with women's magazine Brigitte: "I&nbsp;sense, or am often told, that it is an imposition that I, as a 40-year-old woman with young children, am standing as&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;candidate. This is where I say women must be able to everything."

Repeatedly questioned about how she will juggle motherhood with work, the only woman with a chance of succeeding Angela Merkel as German Chancellor says many Germans don't seem ready for a mother with young children to take over.

Repeatedly questioned about how she will juggle motherhood with work, the only woman with a chance of succeeding Angela Merkel as German Chancellor says many Germans don't seem ready for a mother with young children to take over. Merkel was Germany's first woman chancellor but she never had children. Now the Greens believe 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock faces a lingering stereotype that the incumbent never had to deal with: mothers should be running families, not countries. Also read | German Greens' election hopeful targeted by fake news Three months before Germans go to the polls, the media has questioned whether a mother could successfully lead Germany, prompting a heated debate about prevalent sexist attitudes. On the campaign trail, Baerbock has been asked often about her children. An editor of mass-circulation newspaper Bild asked in an interview: "You are chancellor and are in the middle of negotiations, and you suddenly get a call from your children, would you answer? Did your children find it ok that you want to be chancellor?" The host of a popular political TV talk show, Anne Will, pressed Baerbock on whether she won the Greens' nomination for chancellor because she is a woman, even though the party's backing was almost unanimous. "It's been the elephant in the room for some time now that you only got it because you are a woman," Will said. Baerbock responded: "I'm not going to have a sex change in the next six months. Of course the question of emancipation played a role but it wasn't the only reason." The Greens, the only party in the Bundestag national parliament with more female than male lawmakers, briefly surged in the polls to overtake Merkel's conservative bloc after Baerbock's nomination but is now polling some 10 points behind at around 20 per cent. Also read | Germany's Greens make first bid for chancellery, promise change Pollsters say this is a sign that German voters want them to be in the next coalition government but not in the driver's seat. The ecologist party says the relentless questioning of Baerbock's suitability for top office is unjustified and that the media have not scrutinised her male rivals as vigorously. It also points to a fake news campaign that appeared online soon after her nomination. This has included false claims that she was paid for a nude photoshoot - the pictures of which turned out to be of a Russian adult entertainment model that bears a striking resemblance to Baerbock - fake quotes that she wants to ban owning pets, and another false report that she does not have a university degree. "The hate campaign against Baerbock is unprecedented in German election history and far exceeds anything we have seen against Merkel," Michael Butter of the University of Tuebingen said. "It shows that people took it seriously that a Greens chancellor could end up leading Germany." To be sure, missteps by Baerbock like an unreported party bonus and inaccurate details in her curriculum vitae have invited media scrutiny, and her lack of experience in government has been picked on by critics, often with sexist undertones. "Character Assassination" Late last month, the Greens hired a prominent libel lawyer to fight allegations that Baerbock had in her new book lifted phrases from other texts without proper citation, accusations rejected by the party as "character assassination". She has denied any wrongdoing. Baerbock has shaken up the election campaign with vows to scrap a controversial pipeline project to bring Russian gas to Germany, confront China on its human rights record and permanently abolish strict constitutional limits on new debt to finance a transition to a carbon-neutral economy. Pollsters say her style and focus on the environment are particularly appealing to young voters, especially women. Trousers Vs Skirts Merkel also faced media scrutiny ahead of the 2005 election, in which she won her first term. Commentators, economists and members of Merkel's own conservative bloc cast doubt on her ability to make sound decisions on the economy. Photographers snapped pictures of sweat stains beneath her armpit as she waved to journalists on the red carpet outside an opera house, which made it to newspapers' front pages. "Baerbock looks more feminine than Merkel: she is younger, has longer hair, wears dresses and skirts," Katharina Wrohlich of the German Institute for Economic Research DIW said. "Merkel is older, has shorter hair, and wears trousers and jackets. So this makes her (Baerbock) an easier and more obvious target of gender bias and sexism than Merkel," she said. Baerbock's male rivals jumped to her defence after the plagiarism accusations surfaced. Armin Laschet, the conservative chancellor candidate most likely to succeed Merkel, said the media's questioning of whether Baerbock could juggle motherhood and the chancellery was inappropriate. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, a chancellor candidate of the Social Democrats, said she was being treated unfairly. Baerbock summed up how she feels about media coverage of her flagging campaign in an interview with women's magazine Brigitte: "I sense, or am often told, that it is an imposition that I, as a 40-year-old woman with young children, am standing as chancellor candidate. This is where I say women must be able to everything."

Greens candidate for German Chancellor says sexist scrutiny holding her back

With Germany's Green party leading the polls ahead of September's general&nbsp;elections, the ecologists' would-be successor to Angela Merkel has become increasingly&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;by internet trolls and&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news in recent weeks.

From wild claims about CO2-emitting cats and dogs to George Soros photo collages, 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock has been the subject of a dizzying array of&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news, conspiracy theories and online attacks since she was announced as the&nbsp;Greens' chancellor candidate in mid-April.&nbsp;

The latest polls have the&nbsp;Greens&nbsp;either ahead of or level with Merkel's ruling conservatives, as the once fringe party further establishes itself as a leading electoral force in Europe's biggest economy.

Baerbock herself also consistently polls higher than her conservative and centre-left rivals in the race to succeed Merkel, who will leave office after 16 years this autumn.

Yet her popularity has also brought about unwanted attention and a glut of&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news stories aimed at discrediting Baerbock as she bids to become Germany's first Green chancellor.

False claims&nbsp;

Among the false stories circulating about Baerbock is the bizarre claim that she wants to ban household pets in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.&nbsp;

Another&nbsp;fake&nbsp;story firmly denied by the party claimed that she defied rules on mask-wearing and social-distancing by embracing colleagues upon her nomination earlier this month.

Baerbock has also been presented as a "model student" of Hungarian billionaire George Soros, a hate figure for the European far-right and anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists, in a mocked-up social media graphic, shared among others by a far-right MP.

More serious online attacks include a purported photo of Baerbock which in fact shows a similar-looking naked model.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Greens' campaign manager Michael Kellner said that the attempts to discredit Baerbock had "taken on a&nbsp;new&nbsp;dimension", that "women are&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;more heavily by online attacks than men, and that is also true of our candidate".&nbsp;

Other false claims about the party include reports of a proposed ban on barbecues, as well as plans to disarm the police and enforce the teaching of the Quran in schools.&nbsp;

While such reports are patently absurd, they are potentially damaging to Baerbock and her party as they bid to spring a surprise victory in September.

"She has a very real chance, but the coming weeks are going to be very important because Baerbock's public image is still taking shape," Thorsten Faas, a political scientist&nbsp;at Berlin's Free University told AFP.

In a bid to fight back against the flood of false information, the party has launched a&nbsp;new&nbsp;"online fire service" to report&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news stories.&nbsp;

Russian disinformation&nbsp;

Yet stemming the tide is no easy job, with many of those who peddle disinformation now using private messaging services such as WhatsApp and Telegram rather than public platforms such as Facebook.

The pandemic and ongoing restrictions on public life will also make it harder for the campaign to push through their own narratives at public events.&nbsp;

Miro Dittrich of Germany's Amadeu-Antonio anti-racism foundation claims that lockdown has "played a role" in the spread of&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news.&nbsp;

"People are isolated from their social environment and are spending a lot more time online," he said.&nbsp;

Another factor is Russia, which has made Germany a primary target of its efforts to spread disinformation in Europe.&nbsp;

According to the European anti-disinformation platform EUvsDisinfo, Germany has been the target of 700 Russian disinformation cases since 2015, compared to 300 aimed at France and 170 at Italy.&nbsp;

As an outspoken critic of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Germany and Russia, Baerbock may well become a target of such attacks during the&nbsp;election&nbsp;campaign.

With Germany's Green party leading the polls ahead of September's general elections, the ecologists' would-be successor to Angela Merkel has become increasingly targeted by internet trolls and fake news in recent weeks.

With Germany's Green party leading the polls ahead of September's general elections, the ecologists' would-be successor to Angela Merkel has become increasingly targeted by internet trolls and fake news in recent weeks. From wild claims about CO2-emitting cats and dogs to George Soros photo collages, 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock has been the subject of a dizzying array of fake news, conspiracy theories and online attacks since she was announced as the Greens' chancellor candidate in mid-April. The latest polls have the Greens either ahead of or level with Merkel's ruling conservatives, as the once fringe party further establishes itself as a leading electoral force in Europe's biggest economy. Baerbock herself also consistently polls higher than her conservative and centre-left rivals in the race to succeed Merkel, who will leave office after 16 years this autumn. Yet her popularity has also brought about unwanted attention and a glut of fake news stories aimed at discrediting Baerbock as she bids to become Germany's first Green chancellor. False claims Among the false stories circulating about Baerbock is the bizarre claim that she wants to ban household pets in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Another fake story firmly denied by the party claimed that she defied rules on mask-wearing and social-distancing by embracing colleagues upon her nomination earlier this month. Baerbock has also been presented as a "model student" of Hungarian billionaire George Soros, a hate figure for the European far-right and anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists, in a mocked-up social media graphic, shared among others by a far-right MP. More serious online attacks include a purported photo of Baerbock which in fact shows a similar-looking naked model. The Greens' campaign manager Michael Kellner said that the attempts to discredit Baerbock had "taken on a new dimension", that "women are targeted more heavily by online attacks than men, and that is also true of our candidate". Other false claims about the party include reports of a proposed ban on barbecues, as well as plans to disarm the police and enforce the teaching of the Quran in schools. While such reports are patently absurd, they are potentially damaging to Baerbock and her party as they bid to spring a surprise victory in September. "She has a very real chance, but the coming weeks are going to be very important because Baerbock's public image is still taking shape," Thorsten Faas, a political scientist at Berlin's Free University told AFP. In a bid to fight back against the flood of false information, the party has launched a new "online fire service" to report fake news stories. Russian disinformation Yet stemming the tide is no easy job, with many of those who peddle disinformation now using private messaging services such as WhatsApp and Telegram rather than public platforms such as Facebook. The pandemic and ongoing restrictions on public life will also make it harder for the campaign to push through their own narratives at public events. Miro Dittrich of Germany's Amadeu-Antonio anti-racism foundation claims that lockdown has "played a role" in the spread of fake news. "People are isolated from their social environment and are spending a lot more time online," he said. Another factor is Russia, which has made Germany a primary target of its efforts to spread disinformation in Europe. According to the European anti-disinformation platform EUvsDisinfo, Germany has been the target of 700 Russian disinformation cases since 2015, compared to 300 aimed at France and 170 at Italy. As an outspoken critic of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Germany and Russia, Baerbock may well become a target of such attacks during the election campaign.

German Greens' election hopeful targeted by fake news