Changes

*Dettmer, Jamie (September 25, 2017). [https://www.voanews.com/a/merkel-win-seen-as-inevitable/4042028.html Merkel Wins Historic Fourth Term But Far-right Populists Surge]. ''Voice of America''. Retrieved September 25, 2017.

*Dettmer, Jamie (September 25, 2017). [https://www.voanews.com/a/merkel-win-seen-as-inevitable/4042028.html Merkel Wins Historic Fourth Term But Far-right Populists Surge]. ''Voice of America''. Retrieved September 25, 2017.

*Ridgwell, Henry (September 25, 2017). [https://www.voanews.com/a/germany-far-right-reclaim-country-angela-merkel-coalition-talks/4043603.html German Far-right Pledges to 'Reclaim Country' as Merkel Begins Tough Coalition Talks]. ''Voice of America''. Retrieved September 25, 2017.

*Ridgwell, Henry (September 25, 2017). [https://www.voanews.com/a/germany-far-right-reclaim-country-angela-merkel-coalition-talks/4043603.html German Far-right Pledges to 'Reclaim Country' as Merkel Begins Tough Coalition Talks]. ''Voice of America''. Retrieved September 25, 2017.

*Chazan, Guy (September 24, 2017). [https://www.ft.com/content/d18213e0-a105-11e7-b797-b61809486fe2 Nationalist AfD make historic breakthrough in German elections]. ''Financial Times''. Retrieved September 25, 2017.</ref> Despite this, Merkel continued defending her open borders policies.<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/09/25/merkel-defends-open-borders-migrant-policy-election-shock/ Merkel Defends Open Borders Migrant Policy After Election Shock]. ''Breitbart News''. September 25, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.</ref> Merkel had trouble creating a government, with the Social Democrats initially refusing to work with her in a coalition and with the Greens and FDP being unable to agree together with the CDU. In February 2018, Merkel reached an agreement with the Social Democrats that gave the latter party a disproportionate amount of influence in her government.<ref>Joffe, Josef (February 9, 2018). [https://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-martin-schulz-cdu-spd-government-of-losers/ Angela’s Merkel government of losers]. ''Politico''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref>

*Chazan, Guy (September 24, 2017). [https://www.ft.com/content/d18213e0-a105-11e7-b797-b61809486fe2 Nationalist AfD make historic breakthrough in German elections]. ''Financial Times''. Retrieved September 25, 2017.</ref> Despite this, Merkel continued defending her open borders policies.<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/09/25/merkel-defends-open-borders-migrant-policy-election-shock/ Merkel Defends Open Borders Migrant Policy After Election Shock]. ''Breitbart News''. September 25, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.</ref> Merkel had trouble creating a government, with the Social Democrats initially refusing to work with her in a coalition and with the Greens and FDP being unable to agree together with the CDU. In February 2018, Merkel reached an agreement with the Social Democrats that gave the latter party a disproportionate amount of influence in her government.<ref>Joffe, Josef (February 9, 2018). [https://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-martin-schulz-cdu-spd-government-of-losers/ Angela’s Merkel government of losers]. ''Politico''. Retrieved February 9, 2018.</ref> Six months after the election, the German Bundestag voted to give Merkel a fourth term as chancellor with her "grand coalition" with the SPD.<ref>Multiple references:

*Thomas, Andrea; Benoit, Bertrand (March 14, 2018). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/angela-merkel-begins-fourth-term-as-german-chancellor-1521022646 Angela Merkel Starts Fourth Term Facing Big Hurdles]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved March 14, 2018.</ref>

===Policies===

===Policies===