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| Merkel's Bavaria ally CSU suffers massive losses | Merkel's Bavaria ally CSU suffers massive losses |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative sister party has suffered huge losses in Bavaria's state election, raising new doubts about her ruling coalition. | Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative sister party has suffered huge losses in Bavaria's state election, raising new doubts about her ruling coalition. |
| The centre-right Christian Social Union (CSU) is set to lose its absolute majority in the state parliament, which it has dominated since 1957. | The centre-right Christian Social Union (CSU) is set to lose its absolute majority in the state parliament, which it has dominated since 1957. |
| The Greens surged into second place, with nearly 17.5%. | The Greens surged into second place, with nearly 17.5%. |
| The anti-immigration AfD is set to enter Bavaria's parliament for the first time, with most votes counted. | The anti-immigration AfD is set to enter Bavaria's parliament for the first time, with most votes counted. |
| The CSU got just over 37% - that is, more than 10% down on its 2013 result. | The CSU got just over 37% - that is, more than 10% down on its 2013 result. |
| It was also a bitter night for Germany's decades-old centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who slumped to just 9.7%. They and the CSU are in a fragile coalition with Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU). | It was also a bitter night for Germany's decades-old centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who slumped to just 9.7%. They and the CSU are in a fragile coalition with Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU). |
| Bavaria result: Merkel's three challenges | |
| The CSU appears to have suffered from the row over immigration policy earlier this year between Mrs Merkel and Horst Seehofer, the CSU leader and German interior minister. | The CSU appears to have suffered from the row over immigration policy earlier this year between Mrs Merkel and Horst Seehofer, the CSU leader and German interior minister. |
| He said it was "not a nice day" but added it was only "one side of the coin" as the vote gives "a clear mandate" allowing the CSU to form a new government. | He said it was "not a nice day" but added it was only "one side of the coin" as the vote gives "a clear mandate" allowing the CSU to form a new government. |
| There are signs that the CSU is leaning towards forming a Bavarian coalition with the right-leaning Free Voters (FW), a new independent party that won 11.6%. That would be a closer alignment than governing with the Greens. | There are signs that the CSU is leaning towards forming a Bavarian coalition with the right-leaning Free Voters (FW), a new independent party that won 11.6%. That would be a closer alignment than governing with the Greens. |
| Alternative for Germany (AfD) came fourth with about 10%. It means AfD will have seats in 15 of Germany's 16 state parliaments. | Alternative for Germany (AfD) came fourth with about 10%. It means AfD will have seats in 15 of Germany's 16 state parliaments. |
| German commentators say the parties in Mrs Merkel's coalition will strive to avoid any further splits ahead of another big state election - in Hesse on 28 October, currently run by the CDU. | German commentators say the parties in Mrs Merkel's coalition will strive to avoid any further splits ahead of another big state election - in Hesse on 28 October, currently run by the CDU. |
| SPD leader Andrea Nahles blamed her party's poor performance in Bavaria on squabbling within the coalition. | SPD leader Andrea Nahles blamed her party's poor performance in Bavaria on squabbling within the coalition. |
| Rightward shift backfires | Rightward shift backfires |
| By Jenny Hill, BBC News, Bavaria | By Jenny Hill, BBC News, Bavaria |
| It was a terrible night for Angela Merkel's Bavarian sister party. | It was a terrible night for Angela Merkel's Bavarian sister party. |
| The CSU has reigned supreme for decades in what is conservative country. But recent attempts to harden its tone and policies on migration, which included picking high-profile fights with Mrs Merkel, appear to have backfired. | The CSU has reigned supreme for decades in what is conservative country. But recent attempts to harden its tone and policies on migration, which included picking high-profile fights with Mrs Merkel, appear to have backfired. |
| It's bad news for Mrs Merkel too. Bavaria reflects what's happening at national level, the dwindling popularity of the traditional centre-right and centre-left parties. | It's bad news for Mrs Merkel too. Bavaria reflects what's happening at national level, the dwindling popularity of the traditional centre-right and centre-left parties. |
| Much may now depend on the results in Hesse in a fortnight. The CDU is also losing support. Its general secretary Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said that what had happened in Bavaria was a warning. | Much may now depend on the results in Hesse in a fortnight. The CDU is also losing support. Its general secretary Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said that what had happened in Bavaria was a warning. |
| Bavaria key facts | Bavaria key facts |
| What happened to the CSU? | What happened to the CSU? |
| AfD's success in Bavaria has not been as great as in eastern Germany but it appears to have taken large numbers of votes from the CSU. | AfD's success in Bavaria has not been as great as in eastern Germany but it appears to have taken large numbers of votes from the CSU. |
| But by echoing some of the AfD's hardline policies such as on migration, the CSU also seems to have lost the support of more moderate voters. | But by echoing some of the AfD's hardline policies such as on migration, the CSU also seems to have lost the support of more moderate voters. |
| The CSU's Markus Söder, current Bavarian prime minister, said the projected result was painful but the party should learn from it. | The CSU's Markus Söder, current Bavarian prime minister, said the projected result was painful but the party should learn from it. |
| "We have to analyse the changes taking place both in Bavaria and in society," he said. | "We have to analyse the changes taking place both in Bavaria and in society," he said. |
| "One of the most important jobs we now have is to ensure that this state is stable, governable, and remains as strong as it is now." | "One of the most important jobs we now have is to ensure that this state is stable, governable, and remains as strong as it is now." |
| Some German commentators say the CSU now has an old-fashioned image for many voters. | Some German commentators say the CSU now has an old-fashioned image for many voters. |
| The BBC's Jenny Hill in Bavaria says the election illustrates the complexity of the challenge faced by so many of Europe's large established parties. | The BBC's Jenny Hill in Bavaria says the election illustrates the complexity of the challenge faced by so many of Europe's large established parties. |
| It's not simply the rise of the far right, she says, but that voters are walking away in favour of smaller, newer movements. | It's not simply the rise of the far right, she says, but that voters are walking away in favour of smaller, newer movements. |