German conservatives, Social Democrats tied in vote to decide Merkel successor

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and North Rhine-Westphalia State Premier, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party leader and candidate for chancellor, Armin Laschet, attend a rally ahead of the September 26 general election, in Aachen, Germany, September 25, 2021. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's CDU/CSU conservatives and their Social Democrat rivals were tied in Sunday's national election, an exit poll showed, leaving open which of them will lead the next government as Angela Merkel prepares to stand down after 16 years in power.

The CDU/CSU bloc won 25% of the vote, their weakest result in a post-war federal election and on a par with the centre-left Social Democrat (SPD), the infratest poll for broadcaster ARD showed. Other exit polls showed the SPD marginally ahead.