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Swipe left or right? Germany's election dating game, explained

The leaders of Germany’s two biggest parties are each claiming the right to try to form a government.

They now both need to convince other parties to join them in a coalition. Whoever is successful will become Germany's new chancellor.

The race to seduce potential partners has started...

The BBC's Berlin correspondent Damien McGuinness explains how it works.

Video Journalist: Bruno Boelpaep

Read more: German centre-left narrowly wins election

27 September 2021

Annalena Baerbock

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The German military ship, which is large and grey and has the number F260 on the side in white

German Navy blasts out Darth Vader theme on Thames

Ferris wheel ablaze

Ferris wheel fire in Germany injures several people

Macron and Starmer

What do European leaders think about the UK's new PM?

Piper with German police officer

Scotland fan gives German police arresting bagpipe performance

Fans of FC Köln in Cologne love belting out a version of the Runrig tune.

Why do German football fans sing the Loch Lomond tune?

Weather forecast

Forecast for Scotland vs Switzerland Euros match in Cologne

Man with axe facing police, Hamburg

Alarm in Hamburg as man with axe shot by police

Scotland fan Craig Ferguson

Scotland fan Craig Ferguson walks from Glasgow to Munich

Glasgow & West Scotland

Weather forecast

Forecast for Germany vs Scotland Euros match in Munich

Weather forecast

Forecast for Germany vs Scotland Euros match in Munich

Judith Ralston giving forecast at screen

Will Scotland bring the weather with them to Munich on Friday?

protesters and police clashing

Police and protesters clash at Tesla's Berlin factory

Rishi Sunak and Olaf Scholz in Berlin

Bond between UK and Germany 'stronger than ever' - Sunak

German Taurus missile on display

Ros Atkins on... The German military intelligence leak

A wooden treehouse suspended from a tree

Tesla factory expansion plan sparks treetop protest

Christian Brückner

McCann suspect arrives for unrelated sex offences trial

Gordan Grlic-Radman gives Annalena Baerbock a kiss as they pose for a foreign ministers family photo

Awkward EU summit kiss causes controversy

Smoke following explosions around pillars of a bridge

Watch moment German bridge blown up in demolition

A man picking up hail stones

German city hit by massive hail storm

Charles and cheese

King's first foreign visit as monarch... in 70 seconds

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

Down below, a car park was swallowed up by lava and buildings were evacuated, but there was said to be no threat to air travel in the region.

Man in suit with black paint splashed over his face

Watch: Georgia election chief doused with paint

Official Giorgi Kalandarishvili was doused during the confirmation of a controversial poll.

Man holding a small child in flood water

Man seen rescuing trapped children in Valencia floods

The man and four children, including his daughter, were trapped inside at a English language school.

Three people help each other walk through water flooding down a street.

Watch: Málaga flood turns street into river

Video shows people in Calle Alcazabilla struggling to cross a road as flood water surges through it.

Government buildings in Dublin

Irish general election 2024 explained

A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.

Huge protest in Valencia

Protesters call on Valencia governor to resign after deadly floods

People are angry at the authorities' handling of floods which killed more than 200 people.

Simon Harris standing in front of microphones

Taoiseach Simon Harris calls Irish general election

A general election in the Republic of Ireland has officially been called for Friday 29 November.

Several cars piled up against a bridge in Spain

Watch: Cars washed away as new flash floods hit Spain

There were no immediate reports of casualties after heavy rain on Thursday.

Floor partially submerged in flood water inside airport terminal

Watch: Barcelona airport and highways hit by flooding

Video shows a flooded terminal inside El Prat airport and partially submerged cars on a highway.

Queen Letizia, with mud on her face, cries as she visits Paiporta in flood-hit Valencia

Queen Letizia in tears on visit to flood-hit Valencia

As anger flared in the stricken town of Paiporta, the Queen of Spain, with mud smeared on her face, was seen crying.

The BBC's Mark Lowen stands amidst scenes of chaos and flooding damage in Paiporta, the worst hit suburb of Valencia

BBC reporter in Valencia: 'The fury is extraordinary to see'

The BBC's Mark Lowen in Paiporta: "People are picking up mud, throwing it at the king"

King of Spain in a crowd with mud on him

Watch as crowd chant 'murderer' and throw objects at Spanish king

Spain's King Felipe VI is visiting the Valencia region, which has been hit by unprecedented floods.

Veronica Briz, a volunteer helping flood victims in Valencia, stands in front of an aid distribution queue

'This is my city, I have to help' - huge volunteer response in flood-hit Valencia

There has been a growing outpouring of solidarity in and around Valencia to help those affected by catastrophic flooding.

Collapse canopy in front of station with emergency vehicles

Aftermath of deadly Serbia railway station roof collapse

Several people have died, with dozens of rescue workers searching for survivors under the rubble.

Flood waters gushing down street in Spanish town

Video shows first wave of flood water gushing through town in Valencia

Cars were still driving along streets when the Valencian town of Paiporta was hit by devastating floods.

Nicky Schiller pointing at a water mark high on a wall, in the background the street is filled with mud

Valencia floods: 'There is mud everywhere here'

The BBC's Nicky Schiller says the La Torre area of the city has been completely devastated.

A head and shoulders crop of Bethany Bell as she reports live from flood devastated Paiporta, with a car and building behind her and what looks like silt from floodwaters on the ground

'We all know someone who has died'

The BBC has visited Paiporta, Valencia, where dozens of people have been confirmed dead.

Road partially collapsed and flooded area

Trail of destruction after Spanish floods

At least 158 people were killed following flash floods in southern Spain.

Nicky Schiller in Valencia at flooding scene

Valencia floods aftermath 'like a disaster movie'

The BBC's Nicky Schiller reports from the scene of Spanish flooding where cars are piled up.

Cars are piled in the street with other debris after flash floods hit parts of southern Spain

Watch: Helicopters and diggers used in rescues as flooding causes chaos in Spain

At least 95 people have died and more are missing after torrential rain caused devastating flash floods.