Merkel's conservative bloc garners 32.5 pct of vote

German sitting Chancellor Angela Merkel casts her ballot 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)