German Chancellor Angela Merkel has won a fourth term in the position, with her CDU/CSU winning 33% of the vote. Despite the poor results of her CDU/CSU – the worst numbers since 1949, reports BBC – the alliance is still the biggest in parliament.
Speaking after her win, Merkel said that, while she had hoped for a better result, she was ready for another term. Migration would be a key issue, she stated, as well as economic and security issues. “We now have a mandate to assume responsibility and we’re going to assume this responsibility calmly, talking with our partners of course,” she said.
At the same time as Merkel was re-elected, nationalists made a surprising surge of historic proportion. Right-wing populist party AfD won its first seats, sparking protest among citizens who disagree with the party’s anti-Islam stance. Demonstrations outside AdD’s Berlin headquarters followed the announcement, with protestors holding signs says “Refugees are welcome.”
