Berlin: Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's ruling Centre-Left coalition won Germany's national election after a nail-biting finish, according to a final official estimate released early September 23.

It showed his Social Democrats tied with the conservative Christian Union (CDU/CSU) on 38.5 per cent each, but enough to put the SPD narrowly ahead in terms of Parliamentary seats.

The Greens, the junior partners in the current coalition, came third with a surprisingly strong showing of 8.6 per cent.

In fourth place on 7.4 per cent were the pro-business Free Democrats, with whom CDU/CSU chief Edmund Stoiber had hoped to form the next government.

Overall, it would give the Red-Green coalition around 305 seats out of the some 600 available in the Bundestag, or Lower House of Parliament.