Merkel’s ally CSU hit by large losses in Bavaria vote
ANGELA MERKEL’S Bavarian allies became the latest European party to be caught up in the political upheaval sweeping the continent as they suffered historic losses in regional elections yesterday.
The Christian Social Union (CSU), which has ruled Bavaria for more than 60 years, recorded its worst result since 1950 and will be forced to find a coalition partner if it is to remain in power.
But for once it was not the populist right that inflicted the heaviest wounds, but the centre-left in the form of the Green Party, which more than doubled its vote.
The results will send shock waves through Ms Merkel’s already fragile coalition government and add to growing calls within her own party for the veteran chancellor to stand down.
However, it was also a disappointing night for the nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AfD), which had hoped to make its first major inroads in a west German state, but could only manage fourth place.
“This is not an easy day for the CSU. This is a painful result,” Markus Soder, the party’s regional leader, said.
“We have to learn the lessons of this result.”
Robert Habeck, the Green Party leader, said: “The people of Bavaria have said things cannot go on as they are. This is a demand for change.”
Initial exit polls had the CSU on 35.7pc, compared to 47.7pc five years ago.
The Greens were second on 18.7pc, followed by the Free Voters, a local interest party, on 11.6pc and the AfD on 11.1pc.
Ms Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) party does not compete in Bavaria, leaving the state to their more conservative allies in the CSU.
However, the results were grim for her coalition: the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), her main partner, scraped in, finishing in fifth place with 9.5pc.
The debacle was widely accepted as a sign of voters’ discontent with a government that has been paralysed by months of infighting over migrant policy.
Ms Merkel may, however, be able to use to the success of the Greens to silence her party critics who want to take the CDU to the Right to head off the challenge from the AfD. (© Daily Telegraph London)