Three-way coalition likely in Berlin after state elections

The top candidates of the Christian Democrats, Frank Henkel, left, and Social Democrats, Mayor Michael Mueller, wait for the beginning of a telecast after the state elections in the German capital Berlin Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016. (Michel Kappeler/dpa via AP) (The Associated Press)

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A woman applies make-up to the top candidates of the Christian Democrats, Frank Henkel, left, and Social Democrats, Mayor Michael Mueller, before a TV appearance after the state elections in the German capital Berlin Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016. (Michel Kappeler/dpa via AP) (The Associated Press)

Frank Henkel, top candidate of the Christian Democratic Union party in the state elections in Germany's capital Berlin, reacts after the first exit polls were published in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016. (Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa via AP) (The Associated Press)

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

While the Social Democrats (SPD) and Merkel's Christian Democratic Party (CDU) emerged from the Berlin election as the two strongest parties, both lost some support which means they won't be able to continue a coalition government, official results showed Monday.

The SPD received 21.6 percent, dropping 6.7 points, while the CDU received 17.6 percent, down 5.7 points.

Many voters drifted further to the left and right, with the Left Party climbing 3.9 points to 15.6 percent.

The nationalist anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany, known as AfD, easily entered its 10th state parliament with 14.2 percent of the vote.