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| Angela Merkel's CDU 'suffers Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania poll blow' | Angela Merkel's CDU 'suffers Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania poll blow' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Angela Merkel's ruling CDU party has been beaten into third place by an anti-immigrant and anti-Islam party in elections in a north-eastern German state, TV exit polls suggest. | Angela Merkel's ruling CDU party has been beaten into third place by an anti-immigrant and anti-Islam party in elections in a north-eastern German state, TV exit polls suggest. |
| The Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) party took 21.4% of the vote behind the centre-left SPD's 30.2%. | |
| The German chancellor's CDU was supported by only 19.8% of those who voted, according to the exit polls. | |
| The vote was seen as a key test before German parliamentary elections in 2017. | The vote was seen as a key test before German parliamentary elections in 2017. |
| Before the vote in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, all of Germany's other parties ruled out forming a governing coalition with the AfD. | Before the vote in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, all of Germany's other parties ruled out forming a governing coalition with the AfD. |
| However, the party's strong showing could weaken Mrs Merkel ahead of the national elections next year. | However, the party's strong showing could weaken Mrs Merkel ahead of the national elections next year. |
| 'Rapefugee' message in Rostock as AfD challenges Merkel | 'Rapefugee' message in Rostock as AfD challenges Merkel |
| Germany jolted by AfD success | Germany jolted by AfD success |
| Is Merkel really on the ropes? | Is Merkel really on the ropes? |
| Profile: AfD leader Frauke Petry | Profile: AfD leader Frauke Petry |
| Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, in the former East Germany, is where the chancellor's own constituency is located. | Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, in the former East Germany, is where the chancellor's own constituency is located. |
| Under her leadership, Germany has been taking in large numbers of refugees and migrants - 1.1 million last year - and anti-immigrant feeling has increased. | Under her leadership, Germany has been taking in large numbers of refugees and migrants - 1.1 million last year - and anti-immigrant feeling has increased. |
| The AfD, initially an anti-euro party, has enjoyed a rapid rise as the party of choice for voters dismayed by Mrs Merkel's policy. | |
| But its political power is limited and critics accuse it of engaging in xenophobic scaremongering. | |
| The CDU has been the junior coalition partner in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania since 2006 and is likely to remain in the governing coalition. However, its 19% in the election is its worst ever result in the state, German broadcasters said. | |
| BBC Berlin correspondent Damien McGuinness says that following her political embarrassment, Mrs Merkel will now come under greater pressure to change her welcoming position on refugees. | |
| Addressing supporters, local AfD leader Leif-Erik Holm said: "Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of Angela Merkel's chancellorship today." | Addressing supporters, local AfD leader Leif-Erik Holm said: "Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of Angela Merkel's chancellorship today." |
| Mrs Merkel, who is in China for the G20 summit, told Bild newspaper on Saturday: "We did not reduce benefits for anyone in Germany as a result of the aid for refugees. In fact, we actually saw social improvements in some areas. | Mrs Merkel, who is in China for the G20 summit, told Bild newspaper on Saturday: "We did not reduce benefits for anyone in Germany as a result of the aid for refugees. In fact, we actually saw social improvements in some areas. |
| "We took nothing away from people here. We are still achieving our big goal of maintaining and improving the quality of life in Germany." | "We took nothing away from people here. We are still achieving our big goal of maintaining and improving the quality of life in Germany." |
| More on AfD | More on AfD |