Victorious Merkel looks to new coalition

BERLIN, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel claimed victory and a second term Sunday, telling supporters though troubles lay ahead it also was time to "celebrate."

"I would not tell anyone to remain sober, but we don't want to forget that there are many problems in our country to be solved," The Washington Post reported Merkel telling a cheering crowd in Berlin. "I think that tonight we can really celebrate, but I would say that after that there is work waiting for us."

Merkel for the past four years had been forced to maintain a governing "grand coalition" with the Social Democrats, a left-of-center party supported by labor unions, the Post reported. But the Social Democrats ended up Sunday with their worst electoral showing since World War II.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is the leader of the Social Democrats. "The voters have decided," Steinmeier said. " ... It is a bitter defeat."

The Post said Merkel's Christian Democrats are expected to form a new government with the Free Democrats. The pro-business party has called for lower taxes and a slimmed-down bureaucracy, and historically enjoyed close relations with the United States.

In early returns, the Christian Democrats had a plurality of about 34 percent of the vote, slightly less than in it garnered in 2005 but one of its worst showings ever, the Post said. The Free Democrats received about 15 percent, one of its best showings, and the two parties should have enough seats to take control of the parliament, the newspaper said.

The Free Democrat leader, Guido Westerwelle, is expected to become Germany's foreign minister.

Meanwhile, security was tight in Germany Sunday as voters went to the polls under the threat of terrorism from al-Qaida.

The terrorist group has issued video threats warning Germans not to vote for candidates who favor keeping troops in Afghanistan, CNN reported.

Voters were choosing members of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, who in turn will pick the head of government.