In Close German Election, Angela Merkel’s Bloc Sees Worst Election Results Since 1949

Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right bloc is in a tight race with the Social Democrats, as projections showed her party endured its worst result in parliamentary elections since 1949.

ARD public television projected that according to early counting and exit polls, Social Democrats, whose candidate is outgoing Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz, had 25.5% of voter support, The Associated Press reported. Merkel’s Union bloc was at 24.5% with her would-be successor Armin Laschet, governor of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state in Germany.

Projections from ZDF public television put Social Democrats at 25.7% to the Union bloc’s 24.6%. Both sets of projections had the environmentalist Greens at third place with about 14%.

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German Chancellor Merkel Says Vaccine Passport Has Unanimous Support Within European Union

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says European leaders agree on the concept of a COVID vaccination passport that would allow people to travel more freely through the region amid the ongoing pandemic and continuing health-safety restrictions.

“Everyone agreed that we need a digital vaccination certificate,” Merkel said Wednesday after a meeting with European leaders.

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Angela Merkel to Step Down, Paving Way for New German Chancellor in 2021

by Alex Christy   German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced Monday that she will not seek re-election as party leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Merkel has been chair of the CDU since 2000 and chancellor since 2005, according to Reuters. While she has said she is not seeking re-election, she announced…

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Trump Notches a Big Win Against Russia After Merkel Folds on US Gas Imports

by Chris White   German Chancellor Angela Merkel is offering government support for a for project that would supply Germany with U.S. natural gas — the move comes as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to loosen Russia’s hold on Europe’s energy markets. Merkel told lawmakers in early October that her government…

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OFF THE RECORD: President Trump Singlehandedly Delivers the Most Eyebrow-Raising G7 Trade Summit Ever

OFF THE RECORD

After years of mundanity surrounding the G7 world trade summit – the once-a-year snore-fest where the six, or seven, (or eight) leaders of the West come together as frenemies to see who can pick each others’ pockets most stealthily – we were treated to perhaps the most entertaining piece of political…

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