Merkel looks on as Germany's newly elected parliament convenes

Germany's acting Chancellor Angela Merkel leaves the inaugural session of the German lower house of Parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany, October 26, 2021. REUTERS/Michele Tantussi

BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel watched from a visitors' gallery on Tuesday as a new, more diverse and younger parliament elected a woman from the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) as parliamentary president.

Merkel, 67, who did not stand for re-election in the national ballot on Sept. 26 after four terms in office, will act as caretaker chancellor until a new government is in place.