National

New York [US], September 23: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reacted with satisfaction to initial results of the state elections in Brandenburg on Sunday which showed his Social Democrats (SPD) in the lead.
Scholz told journalists in New York that the mood in his party is "good, of course." Scholz is in New York attending a UN summit.
He joined a telephone conference with SPD leaders just before a meeting with Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Sources close to the chancellor said he is "thoroughly satisfied" but will wait until Monday before offering a more thorough assessment of the election results.
State elections in Brandenburg, which the SPD has led since the collapse of communism in 1990, were seen in part as a major test for Scholz, whose coalition government has been plagued by infighting and miserable approval ratings.
Meanwhile, the top candidate for the upstart populist party Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) hailed his party's showing. "This is a fantastic result," Robert Crumbach said after initial results were released on Sunday. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune