Spotlight: Merkel's party wins commanding yet lower votes as far-right AfD to debut in parliament

German sitting Chancellor Angela Merkel (L, Front) is applauded after the preliminary exit poll at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party's headquarters in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 24, 2017. The conservative union led by German sitting Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday defended its commanding role in the Bundestag (German parliament) with 32.5 percent of the vote, falling short of expectations with a nine-percentage-point gap compared with the election four years ago. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan)