German voters are called to the polls, Sunday, September 26, to turn the long page Merkel in the most undecided legislative ballot in their history, pitting social democrats and conservatives neck and neck.

  • 8 a.m.: opening of the polling stations

Polling stations have opened in Germany, which has 60.4 million voters but around 40% undecided according to polls.

Many voters, including Angela Merkel, however, chose postal voting to elect their representatives.

  • Total suspense 

The Social Democrats under current Finance Minister Olaf Scholz are slightly ahead, with 25%, the conservatives of Armin Laschet, credited with 22 to 23%, a historically low score, according to final polls.

But this gap is too small between the center-left and the center-right of the chancellor to dare a real prognosis.

The publication of the first estimates at the exit of the polls at 4:00 p.m. GMT (7:00 p.m. Paris time) should not necessarily make it possible to see more clearly because the postal vote is not taken into account in this first photograph. of the ballot.

The name of the future chancellor and the composition of his probable majority thus risk not being known as of Sunday evening.

Long negotiations will be necessary whatever happens in the coming months to train the future team in power, at the risk of leading to European paralysis until the first quarter of 2022.

  • The end of the Merkel era

During her last meeting as Chancellor on Saturday, Angela Merkel delivered a vibrant plea for her candidate, the conservative Armin Laschet. 

These elections turn the page of her 16 years of reign at the head of the first European economy and of her career in politics because the Chancellor is preparing to retire from political life.

However, Angela Merkel may have to stay in charge by the end of the year to handle day-to-day business.

The Chancellor who has embodied during all her years values ​​and sense of compromise, has also been strongly criticized for her lack of vision.

But already a wind of “Merkel nostalgia” is being felt in Germany, where the young people who will vote for the first time on Sunday have only known her at the head of government.

They are called the "Merkel generation".

The one who has been elected for 31 years in the Bundestag is given the nickname "Mutti" (Mom) in return by public opinion, with popularity in the firmament. 

With AFP and Reuters

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