New era for Germany as parliament opens 1st session post Merkel

Berlin, Oct 26 (EFE).- Germany entered a new era on Tuesday as the country’s parliament convened for the first time since last month’s elections.

The outgoing chancellor, Angela Merkel, watched from an unusual vantage point in the gallery rather than in her seat at the front of the government’s benches, which will remain vacant while coalition talks between the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the liberal Free Democratic Party are completed.

Social Democrat leader Olaf Scholz is widely expected to be named Chancellor.

The President of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble, opened the session, which saw the election of his successor, the Social Democrat deputy Bärbel Bas.

She is just the third woman to chair the Bundestag after the Social Democrat Annemarie Renger and the Christian Democrat Rita Süssmuth.

The vice-presidents of the chamber will also be elected from all parliamentary parties, who are expected to receive majority support, with the exception of the representative proposed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

In the afternoon, the German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, will present Merkel and her ministers with their formal resignation diplomas, with which they will take office until the new government is formed. EFE

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