Merkel's CDU Are Losers in State Votes, Poll Shows [Berlin stays left]

[Kellanved]

Sept. 17 (Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats emerged the losers from today's elections in two eastern states as it lost votes to smaller parties in both regions, TV projections show.

Merkel's party will spend five more years in opposition in the capital Berlin after polling its worst result since the founding of the postwar German state in 1946, according to TV projections by FG Wahlen for ZDF television. The CDU scored its worst-ever result in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania, home to Merkel's election district. The Social Democrats are likely to retain power in both states, possibly in coalition with the ex-communist Party of Democratic Socialism.

``The CDU took it on the chin from voters in both states,'' Irwin Collier, a professor of politics at Berlin's Free University, said in an interview. ``Voters are punishing Merkel's party much more than the Social Democrats for failures of the grand coalition at national level.''

With 3.9 million people eligible to vote across the two eastern states, the elections are the last major test of popular support for Merkel for 18 months. That's prompted political analysts and economists to urge the chancellor to use that time window to overcome differences within her party and speed up work on issues including changing health-care funding and cutting corporate tax.
...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=a8tLej5zkvuE&refer=europe


Well, great news in Berlin. 60% left of the center; Klaus Wowereit can continue as Lord Mayor.
The district results aren't complete yet.

Sad news in Pomerania: the Nazis got 7% of the vote.



http://wahltool.zdf.de/ZDF_2006_09_17/LTW_DE_BE_KARTE/index.shtml

[Joanne98]

1. The Germans need to read up on our Christian conspiracy theories.

I noticed the RIGHT WING Pope has been campaigning there.

[ShockediSay]

2. How come they all get their votes counted

and we don't?