MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Date for Angela Merkel's exit, after next year's September 26 elections

It had been proposed by the government following talks with political parties and the country's 16 state administrations.

Germany will go to the polls to elect a new parliament and chancellor on September 26 next year as Angela Merkel's looming retirement leaves the country's political future wide open.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier approved the date, a statement from his office said. It had been proposed by the government following talks with political parties and the country's 16 state administrations.

So far, only one party has picked a candidate to lead it into the vote: the Social Democrats (CDU) with Olaf Scholz, who currently serves as Chancellor Merkel's deputy in a coalition with her conservatives.

However, the SPD has been hemorrhaging support for years while Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) are the strongest-polling party at this early stage, together with their CSU Bavarian allies.

The Greens, currently the smallest opposition force in the Bundestag parliament, are hoping for a surge in 2021 following a string of electoral gains at the EU and local level.