A former wrestler, an ex-TV detective and a record number of women entered parliament on Tuesday, one month after Chancellor Angela Merkel won elections.
They were wiped out in the elections a month ago but as Germany slowly sorts out a government Liberal Party ministers remain in place. Their deputies will also be paid €22,000 over two months despite losing their seats in parliament.
Leaders of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) agreed on Sunday to launch coalition talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel as she attempts to form a government for Europe's top economy.
The Green party announced early on Wednesday that it has pulled out of talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives on forming the next coalition government.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's Conservatives plan to hold a third round of talks with the Social Democrats (SPD) on Thursday about the possibility of forming a coalition government.
Chancellor Angela Merkel met the opposition Social Democrats' leader on Friday, ahead of a decision expected next week on her preferred governing partner for Europe's biggest economy.
Germans are growing so tired of politicians dithering over forming a coalition government that a third would rather vote again in fresh elections, an opinion poll suggested on Thursday.
<b>UPDATE:</b> Almost two weeks after winning the German elections, Chancellor Angela Merkel opened exploratory talks on Friday with her defeated centre-left rivals on whether they can jointly govern Europe's biggest economy.
Germany’s Green Party appears to be warming to the idea of joining Angela Merkel in government with its leaders giving off signals that the ecological party would welcome a return to the corridors of power.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party said it will start talks with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) on Friday on forming a possible left-right “grand coalition”.
Three days after the election handed Angela Merkel's party a clear victory whilst destroying its key ally, the isolated victors are no closer to forming a new government. <i>Josie Le Blond</i> looks at where the Chancellor goes from here.
Voters abandoned Germany's Liberal party in their droves on Sunday after the party spent four years in coalition with the Conservative CDU. The result should be a stark warning to Britain's Liberal Democrats, argues The Local's <b>Tom Bristow</b>.
The FDP meltdown continued late on Monday as the entire party leadership announced they would step down following Sunday's historic defeat. Five outgoing cabinet ministers, including Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle fell on their swords.
The day after her stunning election triumph, Chancellor Angela Merkel was on Monday set to start the process of haggling with potential partners over how to rule Europe's biggest economy. She has made first contact with the Social Democrats (SPD).
Renate KĂĽnast and JĂĽrgen Trittin on Tuesday joined Green party leaders Claudia Roth and Cem Ă–zdemir in stepping down after Sunday's disappointing election result raised questions over the party's future direction.
<b>UPDATE:</b> The FDP's leader Philipp Rösler stepped down on Monday morning after the party's worst result in its 65-year history. The Liberals were blasted from power, out of parliament and into the political doldrums.
The Christian Democrat (CDU) party was still in full swing early on Monday morning, The Local's <i>Jessica Ware</i> writes. Supporters were doing the conga, while politicians retreated to hash out possible coalition set-ups.
Despite dropping a few percentage points since 2009, the socialist Left party (Die Linke) celebrated becoming the third biggest party in Germany on Sunday's election.
The Social Democrats gained one in four German votes but it was not the result their candidate, Peer Steinbrück, was hoping for. It was at least better than in 2009 but at 25.7 percent it was still the party’s second worst result since World War Two.
Millions of Germans headed to the polls on Sunday to elect Angela Merkel for another four years at the helm of Europe's biggest economy. The Local covered all the twists and turns with our exclusive reports from the parties in our live election blog.
<b>UPDATE:</b> Chancellor Angela Merkel captured a landslide victory in German elections on Sunday for guiding Europe's top economy through the debt crisis, winning a third term and nearing an absolute majority.
As fresh polls showed a tightening of Germany's election race Friday, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised voters they will be in safe hands if she stays leader of Europe's economic giant.
The German election campaign has been accused of being dull and out-of-touch. To rectify that The Local has travelled a step or two beyond the mainstream.
From politicians hoping to win votes through cookery videos, singing in parliament and handing out free toothbrushes while clad in a straw hat, the German election campaign has had some cringeworthy moments.
