Election officials said early Monday that a count of all 299 constituencies showed the Social Democrats received 25.9 per cent of the vote, ahead of 24.1 per cent for the Union bloc. Olaf Scholz, leader of the Social Democrats, waves to supporters in in Berlin on Sunday. The Greens traditionally lean toward the Social Democrats and the Free Democrats toward the Union, but neither ruled out going the other way. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and candidate Armin Laschet speak to fellow Christian Democratic Union party members in Berlin on Sunday. In two regional elections also held Sunday, the Social Democrats looked set to defend the post of Berlin mayor that they have held for two decades.

Source: CBC News September 26, 2021 18:21 UTC