In Germany, the center-left Social Democratic Party has narrowly claimed victory in an election that puts an end to the 16-year era of Angela Merkel’s leadership. Merkel’s party, the Christian Democrats, won the second most votes, with the Green Party coming in third. Social Democrats will now have to form a ruling coalition, which could take weeks, or possibly months. The SDP’s candidate for chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who positioned himself as a leader in the vein of Angela Merkel during his campaign, vowed to tackle the climate crisis and modernize industry.