Germany sets date for election determining Merkel successor

Germany's next parliamentary election, which will determine country's new leer after Chancellor Angela Merkel's long rule, will be held on September 26, 2021.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's office said Wednesday that he of state set date in line with a recommendation from government.

It will be post-World War II Germany's 20th parliamentary election Germany holds elections every four years.

lower house of parliament, or Bundestag, elects chancellor.

That may t happen until well after election, because process of putting toger a governing coalition can be lengthy.

After 2017 election, it was nearly six months before Merkel was sworn in for her fourth term — a record.

Merkel has been chancellor since 2005.

She said more than two years ago that she wouldn't seek a fifth term, and has repeatedly me clear that she won't change her mind.

At present, it's hard to guess who will succeed her, and much will depend on whom leing parties minate as ir candidates for chancellor.

Merkel's center-right Christian Democratic Union, part of a conservative bloc that is well ahe in polls thanks in part to positive reviews of her manment of coronavirus pandemic, plans to choose a new leer in January.

That person will likely, but t necessarily, be minated to run for chancellor.

center-left Social Democrats, who provided three of Germany's eight post-war chancellors, have chosen Finance Minister Olaf Scholz as ir candidate.

But party, w junior partner in Merkel's governing coalition, is currently very weak in polls. Its support is lower than that of environmentalist Greens, who are likely to make ir first run for chancellery but have yet to minate a contender.

Voters will elect at least 598 lawmakers to Bundestag.

number may be considerably higher because of Germany's complex electoral system, which is based on proportional representation but also sees voters choose directly elected local representatives. current Bundestag has 709 members.

(IM CREDITS:PTI)