FINANCIAL TIMES: Angela Merkel was heading for a big personal victory in the German election on Sunday, but looked set to fall just short of a historic absolute majority in parliament.
The collapse of the liberal Free Democratic party, junior partner in her centre-right coalition, is likely to force Ms Merkel into tough negotiations with the opposition Social Democrats, or the Green party, to forge an alternative government.
According to the latest projections on ZDF public television channel, Ms Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, with the Christian Social Union, was set to win nearly 42 per cent of the vote – their best result in more than 20 years. Computer forecasts at midnight put them just three seats short of an absolute majority in the Bundestag… (more)
