Merkel’s bloc eyes worst result since 1949 but hopes to lead

Armin Laschet, the top CDU candidate, said his party will do “everything we can” to form a new government. (AP)

BERLIN: Armin Laschet, the candidate of outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Union bloc, says his party will do “everything we can” to form a new government, despite facing what is expected to be its worst result in post-World War II Germany.
Germany’s center-left Social Democrats were locked in a very close race Sunday with the Union bloc in the country’s general election, according to exit polls. Both appeared to have around 25 percent voter support.
Laschet said Sunday that “we can’t be satisfied with the result” predicted by exit polls. He said “the result puts Germany, the Union, all democratic parties before big challenges.”
Laschet said Germany will likely have its first national government made up of three parties. He said that “we will do everything we can to form a government under the Union’s leadership, because Germany now needs a coalition for the future that modernizes our country.”
Laschet was surrounded by his party’s top brass, including Merkel, as he spoke at its headquarters in Berlin.