Merkel’s party easily wins litmus test vote in border state

GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party won a regional election yesterday by a wide margin, dealing a blow to the hopes of the centre-left to end her 12-year reign later this year.

In the Saarland state vote, being held six months before a general election, Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) won 40% against 30% for the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), according to early results reported by public broadcaster ZDF.

Broadcaster ARD estimated a lead for the CDU of 41% against 29.5% for the SPD.

Voters went to the polls yesterday in the tiny state, where the resurgent SDP had hoped to strike a first blow in their battle to gain national control.

Although the state bordering France is home to just a million people, it was seen as a test of the SDP’s rising fortunes under new leader Martin Schulz. The SPD, having long played second fiddle to Merkel in a national right-left grand coalition, has been re-energised since the folksy and plain-spoken Schulz became its chairman in January.

The former president of the European Parliament has lifted party support by 10% with promises to help the socially disadvantaged come September.

“Schulz mania” has seen younger voters flock to the more than 150-year-old workers’ party, which had been polling neck-and-neck at national level with Merkel’s conservative bloc. – AFP