Merkel, whom many expect to stand again, declined to show her hand, despite Obama's words of support. "Chancellor Merkel has been an outstanding partner," Obama told reporters in Berlin when asked if he wanted her to run again, praising her integrity and their shared core values. Merkel told a joint news conference that it was difficult to say goodbye to Obama after their close partnership over the past eight years. He said Merkel faced "big burdens" if she chose to run again. The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party dropped one percentage point to 12 per cent.

Source: The Star November 17, 2016 19:28 UTC