After close vote, Germany on tricky path to form government

BERLIN (AP) — The party that narrowly beat outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bloc pushed Monday for a quick agreement on a coalition government amid concerns that Europe’s biggest economy could be in for weeks of uncertainty after an election that failed to set a clear direction.

Social Democratic candidate for chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at the party's headquarters in Berlin, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021.
Social Democratic candidate for chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at the party’s headquarters in Berlin, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. Following Sunday’s election leaders of the German parties were meeting Monday to digest a result that saw Merkel’s Union bloc slump to its worst-ever result in a national election and appeared to put the keys to power in the hands of two opposition parties. Both Social Democrat Olaf Scholz and Armin Laschet, the candidate of Merkel’s party, laid a claim to leading the next government. (Wolfgang Kumm/dpa via AP)
The center-left Social Democrats in a very close race with outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel's bloc in Germany's parliamentar
The center-left Social Democrats in a very close race with outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bloc in Germany’s parliamentary election, which will determine who succeeds the longtime leader after 16 years in power.
Armin Laschet, the top CDU candidate grimaces after the German parliament elections at the Christian Democratic Union, CDU, p
Armin Laschet, the top CDU candidate grimaces after the German parliament elections at the Christian Democratic Union, CDU, party’s headquarters in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. German voters are choosing a new parliament in an election that will determine who succeeds Chancellor Angela Merkel after her 16 years at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, walks behind Armin Laschet, right, the top CDU candidate after the German parliament election
Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, walks behind Armin Laschet, right, the top CDU candidate after the German parliament elections at the Christian Democratic Union, CDU, party’s headquarters in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. German voters are choosing a new parliament in an election that will determine who succeeds Chancellor Angela Merkel after her 16 years at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy.
Bundestag Election - Election Party Greens
The center-left Social Democrats in a very close race with outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bloc in Germany’s parliamentary election, which will determine who succeeds the longtime leader after 16 years in power. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP)
Traffic lights stand at the road leading to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, early Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, a day afte
Traffic lights stand at the road leading to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, early Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, a day after the German elections.
Traffic lights stand at the road leading to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, early Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, a day afte
Traffic lights stand at the road leading to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, early Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, a day after the German elections.
A man rides his bike towards the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, before sunrise on Monday, Sept.27, 2021, a day after th
A man rides his bike towards the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, before sunrise on Monday, Sept.27, 2021, a day after the German elections.
Christian Union parties candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet arrives at the party's leaders meetings in Berlin, Germany, Mo
Christian Union parties candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet arrives at the party’s leaders meetings in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. Following Sunday’s election leaders of the German parties were meeting Monday to digest a result that saw Merkel’s Union bloc slump to its worst-ever result in a national election and appeared to put the keys to power in the hands of two opposition parties. Both Social Democrat Olaf Scholz and Armin Laschet, the candidate of Merkel’s party, laid a claim to leading the next government. (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)
From left, Franziska Giffey, top candidate of the SPD for Mayor of the German city of Berlin, Olaf Scholz, top candidate for
From left, Franziska Giffey, top candidate of the SPD for Mayor of the German city of Berlin, Olaf Scholz, top candidate for chancellor of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and Manuela Schwesig, member of the SPD and governor of the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, pose with flowers at the party’s headquarter in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. The center-left Social Democrats have won the biggest share of the vote in Germany’s national election. They narrowly beat outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Union bloc in a closely fought race that will determine who succeeds the long-time leader at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy.
Olaf Scholz, top candidate for chancellor of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), holds a bunch of flowers during a press state
Olaf Scholz, top candidate for chancellor of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), holds a bunch of flowers during a press statement at the party’s headquarter in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. The center-left Social Democrats have won the biggest share of the vote in Germany’s national election. They narrowly beat outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Union bloc in a closely fought race that will determine who succeeds the long-time leader at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy.

Traffic lights stand at the road leading to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, early Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, a day after the German elections. September 27, 2021

Olaf Scholz, the candidate of the center-left Social Democrats, called for Merkel’s center-right Union bloc to go into opposition after it saw its worst-ever result in a national election. Both finished with well under 30% of the vote, and that appeared to put the keys to power in the hands of two opposition parties — raising questions over the stability of a future government.

During her 16 years in office, Merkel was seen abroad not just as Germany’s leader but in many ways as the leader of Europe, helping steer the European Union through a series of financial and political crises.

The unclear result combined with an upcoming French presidential election in April creates uncertainty — at least for now — in the two economic and political powers at the center of the EU, just as the bloc faces a resurgent Russia and increasing questions about its future from populist leaders in eastern countries.

Both outgoing finance minister and Vice Chancellor Scholz and Armin Laschet, the Union’s candidate and governor of North Rhine-Westphalia state, staked a claim to leading the new government on Sunday night. Scholz, who pulled his party out of a long poll slump, sounded confident on Monday.

But the kingmakers are likely to be two prospective junior partners in any coalition, the environmentalist Greens and the business-friendly Free Democrats. The Greens traditionally lean toward the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats toward the Union, but neither ruled out going the other way on Sunday night.

“Voters have spoken very clearly,” Scholz said Monday. “They strengthened three parties — the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Free Democrats — so this is the visible mandate the citizens of this country have given: These three parties should lead the next government.”

The only other option that would have a parliamentary majority is a repeat of the outgoing “grand coalition” of the Union and Social Democrats. That is the combination that has run Germany for 12 years of Merkel’s 16-year tenure, though this time it would be under Scholz’s leadership with Merkel’s bloc as junior partner. But that coalition has often been marred by squabbling, and there is little appetite for it.

Scholz and others were keen to dispel concerns that lengthy haggling and a new, multiparty government would mean unstable leadership in Europe’s biggest economy. “My idea is that we will be very fast in getting a result for this government, and it should be before Christmas if possible,” Scholz told reporters in Berlin. “Germany always has coalition governments and it was always stable.”

Scholz, an experienced and pragmatic politician whose calm, no-frills style is in some ways reminiscent of Merkel’s, pointed to continuity in foreign policy. He said a priority will be “to form a stronger and more sovereign European Union.”

“But doing so means also to work very hard on the good relationship between … the European Union and the United States,” he added. “The trans-Atlantic partnership is of (the) essence for us in Germany … and so you can rely on continuity in this question.”

The Greens made significant gains in the election to finish third but fell far short of their original aim of taking the chancellery, while the Free Democrats improved slightly on a good result from 2017.

Merkel’s outgoing government will remain in office until a successor is sworn in, a process that can take weeks or even months. Merkel announced in 2018 that she wouldn’t seek a fifth term. Scholz was clear that her party should bow out of government. He said the Union “received the message from citizens that they should no longer be in government, but go into opposition.”

Amid concern about rising nationalism and populism, the Europeans will be reassured that mainstream parties will form the next government. Sunday’s election saw weaker results for the far-right Alternative for Germany and, at the other end of the spectrum, the Left Party. The strong showing by the Greens could also help ease passage of the EU’s landmark “Fit for 55” climate change package aimed at making the 27-nation bloc carbon neutral within 30 years.

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