Schroeder formally re-elected to second term

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder was confirmed for a second four-year term in office today after the German parliament voted to approve his centre-left coalition’s victory in elections last month.

Schroeder won 305 votes in the 603-seat lower house, three more than required, but still reflecting the narrow majority that voters handed his Social Democrats and the junior coalition partner, the Greens party.