(CNN) Germany's left-leaning Social Democratic Party (SPD) won the largest share of the vote in Sunday's federal election, putting them in pole position to form the country's next coalition government -- but they could be in for some tricky negotiations. But the haggling could take days, weeks, or even longer -- it took months for a government to be formed after Merkel's 2017 election win. Here are some key takeaways from the historic vote:Worst ever result for Merkel's partyMerkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) had its worst ever showing, posting record losses. A big night for the GreensAnnalena Baerbock's party, the Greens, has emerged as one of two kingmakers in Germany's coalition talks. Merkel's seat flipsAngela Merkel will step down as Germany's chancellor once a new coalition deal is agreed and her replacement is confirmed.

Source: CNN September 27, 2021 14:48 UTC