Election in Germany underway as Merkel seeks to secure 4th term in power

REUTERS

The SPD, led by former President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz, is in second place in the polls - securing around a quarter of the vote, according to The Telegraph.

The AfD - the far-right Alternative for Germany party - had enjoyed a slight rise in the polls in 2016 but have since collapsed into in-fighting and unpopularity.

In reality, the CDU will have to seek a coalition agreement with the SPD or one of the other minor parties to form a government. 

It will be clear who has won the election as early as Sunday, when voting ends and the exit poll is released, although it will not be several more weeks until a coalition government is officially agreed.