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GERMANY: Regional Election: Conservative Angela Merkel triumph in Bavaria

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel won a crucial victory Sunday in Bavaria, where the Conservatives won an absolute majority of seats in a legislative week, according to preliminary results.

This triumph in the region's largest and second most populous of Germany, confirmed that Merkel has a good chance to win a third term as Chancellor. But the Conservative party was tarnished by defeat of their government ally, the Liberal FDP.

If his weakness was confirmed during the federal election next Sunday, it could force the Chancellor to find a new coalition partner to be her opponent Social de cratic.

The Christian Social Union (CSU), Bavarian branch of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of Chancellor, got 48.8% of the vote in the regional elections, according Preliminary official results from 73 of the 90 districts of the region. 

Bavarian conservatives led by the outgoing head of the regional state, Horst Seehofer, regained a majority they lost there five years, with a comfortable margin: 101 seats for absolute majority of 91 seats, according to projections televisions.

"A two Bavarians voted for us (...) it is a great vote of confidence", welcomed Horst Seehofer. CSU leads the Catholic Land prosperous and strong identity without interruption since 1956.

But the FDP, conservative partner at regional level federal, was ejected from the parliament, with only 3% of the vote in the fateful threshold of 5%. For two and a half years, he was released six regional parliaments.

The FDP, which gave a hard time to Angela Merkel since the beginning of his coalition in 2009, is also given to the moribund legislative elections next Sunday.

The President of the Liberal Party and Economy Minister Philipp Rösler recognized "a crushing defeat" but there has been a "wake up call" for his troops.

Many conservative voters might be tempted to give a boost to the Liberals in a week in the hope of saving the ruling coalition at the expense of the CDU.

The Conservative Environment Minister Peter Altmeier has also immediately called CDU voters not to postpone their vote on the FDP. "Stay cool, do not offer our voice," Has he said.

The Social Democratic Party (SPD), led by Peer Steinbrueck at the federal level, got 19.9% ​​of the vote in Bavaria, a slight increase compared to reached its lowest in 2008 (18.6%).

"This is the 13th consecutive regional elections where the union of love" conservatives and liberals "is broken," Has he said. "There is a good chance for it to be the same next week at the national level," he said.

The SPD does not seem to have suffered from the controversy caused by their parliamentary candidate with a photo of him doing one-finger salute to the "one" of a German magazine.

Greens stalled at the national level, collect 8% of the vote, according to provisional results.

The Chancellor did not comenté these results Sunday evening but could speak Monday when held in Berlin a meeting of the staff of the CDU. The directions of the other main parties will also meet Monday before beginning the final stretch of the campaign online for the general election.

Sign of the importance of Bavaria, Angela Merkel must twice to get there again next week.

In contrast, the Social Democratic rival is expected to travel in the north of the country, where his party is better established.

According to a study by the Emnid institute for Bild am Sonntag, the Conservatives are credited with 39% of the vote for the legislative elections on Sept. 22 - one point less in a week - while SPD rose to 26%. The FDP was given to 5% and maintaining the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) was uncertain.

AFP