Litmus test for Merkel too close to declare
Source: Agencies |
May 10, 2010, Monday
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THE outcome of a German state election yesterday that risks weakening Chancellor Angela Merkel's government just months into her second term in office, is too close to call, according to her top ally in the region.
Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Free Democrat (FDP) allies must hold onto power in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) to keep her federal government's majority in the Bundesrat, or upper house of parliament.
The election was widely regarded as a referendum on Merkel's six-month-old government and came just two days after her coalition voted to release billions of euros in aid to debt-stricken Greece - a move deeply unpopular.
"The result is not predictable. The election is on a knife edge," said Juergen Ruettgers, the CDU premier of the state, after voting. "I'm optimistic and think we've got our nose in front, but we will have to wait and see."
A defeat for the CDU and the FDP in the state, Germany's most populous, would end their majority in the Bundesrat and cause delays in delivering policies - including tax cuts - that they agreed to after last September's federal election.
Opinion polls showed the CDU and the FDP, whose NRW alliance mirrors a similar power-sharing deal at federal level, were short of a majority.
Hannelore Kraft, NRW leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), Germany's main opposition party, appeared relaxed after voting.
"It's a good feeling. We've worked hard over the last five years," Kraft said, adding that she was looking forward to watching Germany's Sebastian Vettel in the Spanish Grand Prix.
About 13.5 million people are eligible to vote in North Rhine-Westphalia, whose economy is roughly the same size as those of Poland and the Czech Republic combined.
Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Free Democrat (FDP) allies must hold onto power in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) to keep her federal government's majority in the Bundesrat, or upper house of parliament.
The election was widely regarded as a referendum on Merkel's six-month-old government and came just two days after her coalition voted to release billions of euros in aid to debt-stricken Greece - a move deeply unpopular.
"The result is not predictable. The election is on a knife edge," said Juergen Ruettgers, the CDU premier of the state, after voting. "I'm optimistic and think we've got our nose in front, but we will have to wait and see."
A defeat for the CDU and the FDP in the state, Germany's most populous, would end their majority in the Bundesrat and cause delays in delivering policies - including tax cuts - that they agreed to after last September's federal election.
Opinion polls showed the CDU and the FDP, whose NRW alliance mirrors a similar power-sharing deal at federal level, were short of a majority.
Hannelore Kraft, NRW leader of the Social Democrats (SPD), Germany's main opposition party, appeared relaxed after voting.
"It's a good feeling. We've worked hard over the last five years," Kraft said, adding that she was looking forward to watching Germany's Sebastian Vettel in the Spanish Grand Prix.
About 13.5 million people are eligible to vote in North Rhine-Westphalia, whose economy is roughly the same size as those of Poland and the Czech Republic combined.
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