The Social Democrat Chancellor candidate, Frank Walter Steinmeier has cast his vote in Berlin. He was a political unknown at the national level before he was appointed foreign minister in 2005. As foreign minister, Steinmeier has taken issue with the Chancellors’ criticism of human rights violations in countries like China and Russia.

Unlike Merkel, he favours Turkish entry into the European Union. Clearly the last four years where he has ruled in an awkward grand coalition with his traditional rival, the centre right Christian Democracts is a period he would love to put behind him. Steinmeier said: “I’m running to become Chancellor, you know that.” More than 60 million Germans are going to vote today. A large pool of voters remain undecided increasing the chance of a surprise result.More about: Portuguese election

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