Berlin: Germany began choosing the week in one of the most unexpected elections in history recently, with Conservative Angela Merkel and the Democrats of the Middle Left Social in a strict competition for the crown when he prepared to leave the political stage.
The election of Epochal delivered at the end of 16 years of power to Merkel and German places, a byword for stability, in a new period of uncertainty.
The polling opinion shows a race for Chancellor to complete the photo, with the Conservative Alliance of CDU-CSU Merkel at around 23 percent, right behind the Central Left Social Democrats at 25 percent – both in the margin of errors.
“We will definitely see some surprises on Sundays,” said Nico Siegel, head of the company’s Polving Polf Infrates.
Even though leading SPD in polls, victory for conservatives “could not be ruled”, he said.
“The race for the first place is wide open.” Polls opened at 0600 GMT and will be closed at 1600 GMT.
About 40 percent of 60.4 million voters who qualified Germany said they were hesitant, while the same proportion had thrown their ballots by post – including Merkel himself.
The battle for Chancellor has boiled to a contest between two men: Minister of Finance and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, 63, from SPD, and Armin Laschet, 60, from CDU-CSU.
But with both parties tend to fall away from the majority needed to rule alone, maybe there are weeks or even months of coalition negotiations filled with.
After the last German election in September 2017, February before CDU-CSU formed a coalition with SPD.
Laschet, a friendly centrist but prone to Gaffe and old Merkus, is for some time a clear favorite to take control after the veteran chancellor leaves the stage.
But his popularity began to decrease after a series of mistakes in the summer, including being caught on camera laughing in the background during honor to the victims of the terrible flood in Germany.
Meanwhile, Scholz, who at the beginning of the year had looked down and came out in a race, looking at the ranking began to get up when he avoided making such an embarrassing mistake.
Often it is described as capable but boring, Scholz has positioned himself as a safe pair of hands and true Merkel continuity candidates, although it comes from different parties.
Along with social justice, climate change has become one of the main concerns among voters in the selection process.
The Green Party enjoyed a surge in support earlier this year after naming Annalena Baerbock aged 40 years as a Chancellor candidate, at one point even briefly leading as the most popular party.
But after a series of wrong steps by Baerbock, including the plagiarism scandal, vegetables have now made a vote well behind the leading two parties with around 17 percent.
While Chancellor may be beyond the range of parties, it will likely have a role in the next German government.
All bets are turned off on the next coalition composition, because SPD and conservatives each can try to collect the majority in power if there is little to share their scores.
On the night of the poll, Scholz voiced the preference for the partnership with Greens, called for voters to give him the score needed to go with a two-way coalition.
If the numbers do not increase, it may also have to bind the Liberal FDP, which is not natural naughty with SPD or green.
Laschet had signaled he could still try to form a coalition even if CDU-CSU did not come first, most likely calling on FDP and vegetables for support.
But the second will be a devastating blow to the party, which has dominated German politics since World War II and has never won less than 30 percent of the votes in federal elections.