Merkel suffers blow in state elections

Features on the Regional (Lander) Elections in the western state of Saarland and in the eastern states of Saxony and Thuringia in Germany, 30 August 2009. Both the main CDU and SPD parties would be disappointed with the results. The main winners were the smaller parties in Germany’s increasingly fragmented political landscape - the FDU, the Greens and Die Linke (The Left).

BBC News, 31.8.09: Merkel faces state poll setbacks http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8229314.stm

Deutsche Welle, 31.8.09: Stinging loses for Merkel's CDU in state elections http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4612431,00.html

France24, 30.8.09: Merkel's CDU faces setback in regional polls http://www.france24.com/en/20090830-merkel-party-cdu-faces-election-setback-regions-lander-exit-polls-Thuringia-Saarland-germany

EurActiv, 31.8.09: Merkel loses ground to Left in regional poll http://www.euractiv.com/en/elections/merkel-loses-ground-left-regional-poll/article-184950

Spiegel Online International, 30.8.09: Merkel's Conservatives Suffer Heavy Losses in State Elections http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,645925,00.html

ESO: Background information: Allure of an alliance http://www.europeansources.info/record/allure-of-an-alliance/

Spiegel Online International, 31.8.09: Greens to Play Kingmaker in Saarland http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,646011,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 31.8.09: Voters Give Germany's Parties a Wake-Up Call http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,645953,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 3.9.09: Key Merkel ally resigns after election loss http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4622481,00.html

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