Three-way coalition likely in Berlin after state elections

A three-way coalition of Social Democrats, the Green Party and the Left Party seems likely in the Berlin state legislature, after Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party endured a set-back in local elections in the German capital, official results showed.

While the Social Democrats (SPD) and Ms Merkel's Christian Democratic Party (CDU) emerged from the Berlin election as the two strongest parties, both lost support to parties further to the left and right, meaning they will not be able to continue a coalition government.