German Social Democrats beat conservatives in vote to decide Merkel successor

Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader and a top candidate for chancellor Olaf Scholz and his wife Britta Ernst react after the first exit polls for the general elections in Berlin, Germany, September 26, 2021. [Reuters]

Germany's Social Democrats narrowly won Sunday's national election, projected results showed, and claimed a "clear mandate" to lead a government for the first time since 2005 and to end 16 years of conservative-led rule under Angela Merkel.

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) were on track for 26.0% of the vote, ahead of 24.5% for Merkel's CDU/CSU conservative bloc, projections for broadcaster ZDF showed, but both groups believed they could lead the next government.