Exit polls: Merkel’s party leads in German election, on track for new center-right coalition

September 30th, 2009 Merkel claims victory in German electionBERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel has claimed victory for a new center-right government in Germany's general election. A beaming Merkel told supporters after Sunday's vote that "we have achieved something great.

September 30th, 2009 Polls; Merkel on track to win 2nd term in GermanyBERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel looked set to romp into second term and form a new center-right government after Sunday's national election, while her center-left rival conceded that his party had suffered "a bitter defeat." Merkel, a conservative, was seeking to end her "grand coalition" with the center-left Social Democrats of challenger Frank-Walter Steinmeier and form a government with the pro-business Free Democrats instead. Both the ARD and ZDF television networks forecast that Merkel was on track to get her wish — helped by a very strong showing for the Free Democrats.

September 30th, 2009 Exit polls: Merkel on track in German electionBERLIN — An exit poll shows Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives have emerged from Germany's election as the strongest party and are on track to form a new center-right government. Merkel, a conservative, was seeking a second four-year term in Sunday's parliamentary election.

September 30th, 2009 Merkel's rival admits 'bitter defeat' in voteBERLIN — The challenger to Chancellor Angela Merkel, Frank-Walter Steinmeier of the Social Democrats, has conceded defeat in Germany's election. Steinmeier told supporters Sunday: "There is no talking around it: this is a bitter defeat." Projections show that Steinmeier's party — which has been in the German government for the past 11 years — is headed for its worst parliamentary election result since World War II.

September 25th, 2009 Poll: German election outcome tightBERLIN — A poll published Friday underlined expectations of a tight outcome in Germany's weekend election, finding that Chancellor Angela Merkel's preferred center-right alliance is level with its rivals. While Merkel is widely expected to remain chancellor and her conservatives to be the biggest party, the key question is whether she will be able to end her "grand coalition" of left and right and form a new center-right government.

September 23rd, 2009 German poll shows tiny center-right majorityBERLIN — A poll published Wednesday indicated that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's preferred center-right coalition has a razor-thin majority going into this weekend's general elections. Merkel is hoping to end her "grand coalition" with the center-left Social Democrats and instead form a new government with the pro-business Free Democrats after Sunday's vote.

September 18th, 2009 Polls: Merkel on track for new German coalitionBERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel drew encouragement Friday from polls that showed her on track to form a new center-right government after Germany's national election, and pushed her agenda of tax relief to stimulate growth. The conservative Merkel wants to break free from her "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats, led by her rival, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, after the Sept.

August 30th, 2009 Merkel's party loses ground in German votesBERLIN — Voters inflicted losses on Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives in state elections Sunday, a setback weeks before a national election that she hopes will produce a new center-right government. Merkel's center-left rival in the Sept.

June 8th, 2009 Merkel party wins German vote; rival embarrassedBERLIN — Germans handed a lackluster victory to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and a historically heavy defeat to their center-left rivals in Sunday's European Parliament vote, months before a national election. The outcome, a center-right majority, was enough to boost Merkel's hopes of ending the tense left-right "grand coalition" that has led the European Union's most populous nation since 2005 and replacing it with a center-right government.

June 7th, 2009 Merkel ahead in German EU vote; rivals embarrassedBERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives were headed for a center-right majority and her center-left rivals for a historically heavy defeat in Sunday's European Parliament election, according to projections. Four months before Germany holds its own national election, the outcome boosted Merkel's hopes of ending the tense left-right "grand coalition" that has led the European Union's most populous nation since 2005.

May 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The exit polls have gone wrong yet again. While all the surveys had predicted an edge for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), they also said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would be a close second.

May 14th, 2009 Indian election ends, scramble for power beginsNEW DELHI — India's fractured political parties began scrambling to form new alliances Thursday, a day after the last polls closed, marking an end to India's monthlong election. Exit polls indicate that no party won anything close to a majority in Parliament, which means an unwieldy coalition of parties will almost certainly form the next government.

May 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Two days ahead of the poll results, the Congress party Thursday was upbeat about emerging the single largest party and dismissed exit polls carried out by media organisations. Party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the Congress would prove the exit polls wrong by winning many more seats than predicted.

May 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Two days ahead of the poll results, the Congress party Thursday was upbeat about emerging the single largest party and dismissed exit polls carried out by media organisations. Party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the Congress would prove the exit polls wrong by winning many more seats than predicted.

February 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Major political parties Tuesday welcomed the Election Commission's decision to ban publication or telecast of opinion/exit polls 48 hours before the last hour of polling in single-phase balloting. 'We welcome this decision.