
Merkel starts fourth term as German Chancellor
Angela Merkel has finally begun her fourth term as Chancellor after almost six months of political deadlock in Germany.Ms Merkel is due to be sworn on Wednesday.Parliament voted 364 to 315 in a secret ballot to re-elect Ms Merkel, who ran unopposed.Germany has been locked in political uncertainty for almost six months after millions of voters abandoned the two main parties.Ms Merkel's Christian Democratic Union of Germany party (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) were dropped by the public in favour of parties on the left and right.Image:Angela Merkel (in white) receives congratulations from parliamentarians following her election for a fourth term as ChancellorA coalition has been formed between the CDU, the Christian Social Union (CSU) - which is the CDU's Bavaria-only sister par...