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M. Continuo

Merkel candidate wins German presidency in 3rd round


    BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's candidate for president won Wednesday's vote in a third round ballot after rebels in her coalition twice failed to give Merkel the absolute majority she needed to boost her fortunes.

    With a presidential election going to a third round for only the third time in post-war history, Merkel's candidate Christian Wulff beat Joachim Gauck, a non-partisan civil rights campaigner fielded by the centre left, in a marathon special assembly to choose the largely ceremonial post of head of state.

    (Additional reporting by Erik Kirschbaum, Dave Graham, Brian Rohan and Paul Carrel; Writing by Stephen Brown)