Merkel re-elected as German chancellor

The German federal parliament, the Bundestag, has elected Chancellor Angela Merkel to a fourth term in office. Merkel, who will head a renewed grand coalition between her conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), was elected with 364 to 315 votes (9 abstentions). Her parliamentary alliance has a majority of 399. Merkel has been nicknamed the "Climate Chancellor" for her engagement in international efforts to cut emissions. But many say she no longer lives up to the name. Her new government has dropped Germany's 2020 climate targets, and the country has made little progress on cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Her new cabinet will include Peter Altmaier (CDU) as economy and energy minister, Svenja Schulze (SPD) as environment minister and Andreas Scheuer (CSU) as transport minister.

For background, read the CLEW factsheet The story of "Climate Chancellor" Angela Merkel and the dossier on The next German government and the energy transition.