build a smaller government . `` If one looks at the majority relationships , we will be dealing with a smaller partner , the FDP , '' she said . `` We are happy to use this chance in very difficult economic times to secure jobs , create new ones and drive growth more decisively . '' Merkel also pledged to be `` a Chancellor for all Germans '' . The election was disastrous for her rival , foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the SPD who saw their vote fall 10 percent from 34.2 percent in 2005 to 23 percent . The result is the SPD 's worst result since World War II . The results leave the CDU as the strongest party in the German parliament with 27.3 percent of the popular vote -- slightly down on the 27.8 percent it achieved four years ago . Despite being the biggest party in the Bundestag , the vote marked one of the CDU 's poorest showings in an election . But its traditional coalition with the Christian Social Union -- who won 6.5 percent of the vote -- means that the CDU/CSU bloc won 33.8 percent of the vote .
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Re-elected German Chancellor Angela Merkel is eyeing a new coalition to replace the `` grand coalition '' her Christian Democratic Union -LRB- CDU -RRB- party shared with the Social Democratic Party -LRB- SPD -RRB- in the previous parliament . Angela Merkel has pledged to be `` a Chancellor for all Germans '' . If , as expected , Merkel forms a new coalition with the Free Democratic Party -LRB- FPD -RRB- it will have wide-reaching implications for Germans . The FPD are more economically liberal than Merkel 's previous partner , the SPD . According to CNN 's Fred Pleitgen , the FPD led by Guido Westerwelle will push for control of some key positions in the new government , including perhaps the finance ministry . Pleitgen believes that economic policy is likely to change dramatically . `` This means a whole lot more pro-business politics for Germany than in the past . You 'll probably see tax cuts and it will probably mean smaller government than seen in the past four years , '' he said . Speaking at a post-election news conference on Monday , Merkel said that the result is an opportunity to