Angela Merkel elected as German Chancellor for 4th time

NEW DELHI: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been reelected to the designated post for the fourth time.

Earlier, the exit polls had predicted Merkel’s win. CDU’s closest rivals, the center-left Social Democrats, led by Martin Schulz, slumped to 20 percent – a new post-war low.

The exit poll also showed the rightwing populist Alternatives for Germany coming third and collecting 13.5% of the vote, which could give the country its first substantial rightwing parliamentary faction since the Nazis. Parliament will reconvene on October 24, with the new government in place.