Germans head to the polls today for the country's federal elections, in a key test for Angela Merkel.
She
is seeking a fourth term as chancellor, and to retain her Christian
Democrat party's (CDU) status as the largest presence in Germany's
Bundestag.
The CDU's coalition partner, the SPD, is its main opponent in the election.
Polling stations will be open from 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT) until 18:00.
The first exit polls are expected shortly after the close of voting.
The
election is seen as important because it may result in six parties in
the Bundestag - the German national parliament - for the first time
since World War Two.
Such a result could mean a change in the makeup of the current governing coalition.
Angela Merkel: Widely expected to
retain her seat, Mrs Merkel is seen internationally as a source of
stability - having led Germany since 2005. Her decision to open Germany
to asylum seekers during the peak of Europe's migrant crisis cost her
politically, but she appears to have recovered
Martin Schulz:
Leader of the centre-left SPD and Mrs Merkel's main rival, he is also
her coalition partner - which has proved troublesome during the
campaign, as he sought to criticise her politics
Alice Weidel and Alexander Gauland:
The top candidates for the right-wing AfD. Achieving seats in the
Bundestag - or potentially becoming the third-largest party, as some
campaign polls suggested - would be a major victory
Martin Schulz, leader of the Social
Democrats (SPD) and a former president of the European parliament, is
Mrs Merkel's biggest rival for Chancellor.
But Mrs Merkel, with 12 years of experience in the office, is widely expected to retain her position.
Among the parties expected to win seats is the right-wing nationalist, anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
The
party has so far held seats only in regional government, but has grown
in popularity during a campaign focused on immigration issues.
Other significant contenders include Die Linke (the Left), the Greens, and the Free Democrats (FDP).
Some 61.5 million people aged over 18 are eligible to vote in federal elections, which are held every four years.
There are two separate votes - one for a candidate in their constituency, and one for their preferred political party.
