Germany’s parliament has elected Angela Merkel for her fourth term as chancellor, putting an end to nearly six months of political drift in Europe’s biggest economy.
Politicians voted 364-315 on Wednesday to re-elect Ms Merkel, who ran unopposed. There were nine abstentions.
The coalition of Ms Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union, its Bavaria-only sister party the Christian Social Union and the centre-left Social Democrats has 399 seats.
Angela Merkel receives flowers after she was elected for a fourth term as Germany’s chancellor (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
The same parties have governed for the past four years but putting together the new coalition has been hard work.
Wednesday’s parliamentary vote comes 171 days – nearly double the previous record – after September’s election, in which they all lost significant ground.
The Social Democrats initially planned to go into opposition.
Ms Merkel will head a much-changed new cabinet.
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