Campaign posters with the German Finance Minister, Vice Chancellor and Social Democratic Party (SPD), candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz, (L) and Armin Lasschet, candidate for Chancellor of conservative Christian Democratic Union, (CDU).
German exit polls show that the Social Democratic Party is tied with the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union bloc after one of the country’s most important votes in recent years.
Exit polls after Sunday's German Federal Election show that the result is close. The Social Democrats and the conservative alliance of Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), are both on track to win 25% and 25%, respectively.
Public broadcaster ARD released the polls shortly after the voting had ended at 6 p.m. local. They indicated that the Green Party received 15% of the vote. As was the far-right Alternative for Germany, the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP), was seen with 11%. Exit polls indicated that 5% of voters voted for the far-left Die Linke party.
Both the SPD/CSU and CDU/CSU have already claimed victory, with the SPD secretary general stating that the left-leaning party wants Olaf Scholz as chancellor. Reuters reported that the CDU/CSU secretary general said that exit polls indicate that a coalition of CSU/CSU Greens, CSU and FDP is possible.
A ZDF exit poll showed that the SPD received 26% of votes, slightly more than the CDU/CSU's 24%.
The voting took place from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. local on Sunday. However, a large number of voters chose to vote by postal ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic.
