Germany's Social Democratic Party has won the elections to the Federal Parliament (Bundestag), outperforming the conservative Christian alliance, to which Chancellor Angela Merkel belongs, after all the votes were counted, according to the official website of the Federal Election Commissioner.
The Social Democratic Party got 25.7%, its best result in years, while Merkel's coalition (made up of the alliance of the CDU and the Bavarian Christian Social Party) fell to a record low of 24.1% after 16 years in power.
In third place was the Green Party, which achieved 14.8%, which is the best result in its history, while the pro-business Free Democratic Party made progress, with 11.5%, while the far-right Alternative for Germany party fell from third to fifth after gaining 10.3%. The left also retreated, gaining 4.9%.
This setback casts a shadow over the end of the Merkel era, whose popularity remained at its peak after four terms, but proved unable to prepare for her succession.