Hello, I'm Ros Atkins. Each week on the BBC World Service, I look at one of the biggest

stories in the news. This time, it's Germany's election. A busker here in Berlin is among the millions saying goodbye to Chancellor Angela Merkel.

After 16 years, her time as the head of Germany's federal government is almost complete.

And as Chancellor, she was responsible for all government policies.

She's been at the centre of European and global politics and helped to guide the

European Union through the migration crisis, the Euro crisis and COVID-19 and the

UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson has offered one of the many tributes to her leadership.

Your scientific expertise has been instrumental in guiding the global response to the pandemic.

Boris Johnson talks of Mrs Merkel guiding the world,

and that sense of Angela Merkel guiding the world.

And that sense of Angela Merkel transcending policies

comes out when listening to politicians and many others too,

like this German teenager who's known no other leader.

She has kept it in a safe space like a mom would,

but it's now time for a change.

That change will be decided very soon and it'll inevitably impact Germany's positions on a range of vital issues from the EU to global trade to climate change.

My colleague Katia Adler puts it this way.

These German elections they matter not just inside the country but outside as well.

This is all about change. You thought German politics might be

predictable and boring? Absolutely not. So if you've yet to get stuck into

this election, give me a few minutes and I'll take you through it. First of all, here's the man Angela Merkel

would like to be her replacement.

...