German Federal Election of 2005

A near-tie between Merkel and Schroder produced Germany's first woman chancellor.

Overview

The September 18 election, called a year early after Schroeder lost a state, ended in virtual deadlock: Merkel's CDU/CSU took 35.2 percent to the SPD's 34.2, far short of expectations. After bruising coalition talks, Angela Merkel became chancellor of a CDU-SPD grand coalition, a post she would hold sixteen years, winning four elections. The 2005 near-tie began the Merkel era of stability politics, energy transition, euro crisis management, and refugee decision of 2015, while Schroeder's exit ended the reform-splintered SPD's chancellors to date.