TUNE INTO WORLD POLITICS - SEPTEMBER 26 D3 2021
GERMAN ELECTION: EXIT POLLS SHOW CLOSE RACE TO SUCCEED ANGELA MERKEL The first exit poll from Sunday's German elections showed the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) and the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) in a dead heat at 25%, leaving the race to succeed Angela Merkel too close to call. The state of play: A second exit poll showed the SPD narrowly ahead. That's the one televisions displayed at SPD headquarters in Berlin, where the room erupted into cheers. Official results will roll in throughout the evening. The big picture: Merkel's retirement after 16 years as chancellor — the first time in the history of the Federal Republic that an incumbent did not run — left a massive vacuum at the heart of German politics, which have long been known for moderation and political stability. The three candidates to succeed Merkel were all relatively unpopular, and polls leading up to election day reflected a wide-open race between the SPD and Merkel's CD...