Chancellor Merkel gets parliament”s confirmation for fourth term

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Wednesday elected by parliament to her fourth and likely final term at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy. Lawmakers voted 364-315 with nine abstentions for Merkel who was then to be formally appointed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier before taking the oath of office. Merkel said “I accept the vote”. […]

The German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Wednesday elected by parliament to her fourth and likely final term at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy.

Lawmakers voted 364-315 with nine abstentions for Merkel who was then to be formally appointed by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier before taking the oath of office.

Merkel said “I accept the vote”.

The ceremony marked the end of a painful stretch of post-election paralysis, the deepest crisis of her 12-year career.

A right-wing populist rise in September elections weakened all mainstream parties and deprived Merkel of a majority, forcing her into another unhappy alliance with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).

On Friday Merkel will head to Paris to discuss EU reform plans with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of a March 22-23 summit, after a six-month stretch in which Berlin was hamstrung on the European and world stage.