This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21107054

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
CDU battles for Lower Saxony, bellwether for national polls Lower Saxony election neck and neck, exit polls say
(about 11 hours later)
Voters in the German state of Lower Saxony are going to the polls in a regional election seen as a bellwether for national elections later this year. Chancellor Angela's Merkel's coalition and her centre-left opponents are neck and neck in elections in the German state of Lower Saxony, exit polls say.
The state is currently controlled by German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) in coalition with the pro-market Free Democrats. Mrs Merkel's ruling Christian Democrats and their Free Democrat partners were tied at 46% with the Social Democrats and the Greens trying to oust them.
But opposition parties are hoping to make gains ahead of national elections in September. The election is seen as a bellwether for national elections in September.
Opinion polls suggested the race would be close. Mrs Merkel has lost a number of state elections as she seeks a third term as Germany's chancellor.
David McAllister, the current leader of Lower Saxony's government and close ally of Chancellor Merkel, will be hoping for re-election. A defeat for her CDU in Lower Saxony would set alarm bells ringing for the chancellor, says the BBC's Germany correspondent Steve Evans.
He was born in Berlin to a German mother and a Scottish father, and is seen as a possible successor to Chancellor Merkel as CDU leader.
But polls now put his CDU-led coalition neck-and-neck with the opposition Social Democrats (SPD).
The SPD have seen a previously comfortable lead over the incumbents evaporate as polling day approached.
The SDP leader in Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil, said a victory in the state polls would ensure that his party was taken seriously in September's national elections.
Scottish rootsScottish roots
The BBC's Germany correspondent Steve Evans says that a CDU defeat in Lower Saxony would set alarm bells ringing for Ms Merkel, who is seeking a third term as chancellor in September. David McAllister, the current leader of Lower Saxony's government and close ally of Chancellor Merkel, has been hoping for re-election.
Since Ms Merkel's re-election as chancellor in 2009, the CDU has suffered set backs in recent state elections, and have lost power to the SDP and Greens in four other states. He was born in Berlin to a German mother and a Scottish father, and is seen as a possible successor to Chancellor Merkel as CDU leader.
There is also concern that the CDU's coalition partners, the Free Democrats, will not win enough votes to maintain the coalition. The Social Democrats (SPD) enjoyed a comfortable lead over the incumbents in the run-up to the poll, but it evaporated as polling day approached.
They require 5% of the vote to gain seats in the state legislature. The SDP leader in Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil, has described a victory in the state polls as a sign that his party will be taken seriously in September's national elections.
Since Mrs Merkel's re-election as chancellor in 2009, the CDU has suffered setbacks in recent state elections, and have lost power to the SDP and Greens in four other states.
There was also concern that the CDU's coalition partners, the Free Democrats, would not win enough votes to maintain the coalition.
They require 5% of the vote to gain seats in the state legislature - exit polls suggested they had 10%.
Ms Merkel has appeared several times on the campaign trail with Mr McAllister, who has played heavily on his Scottish roots.Ms Merkel has appeared several times on the campaign trail with Mr McAllister, who has played heavily on his Scottish roots.
Known as "Mac", he has used bagpipes in his election broadcasts, and speaks English with a broad Scottish accent.Known as "Mac", he has used bagpipes in his election broadcasts, and speaks English with a broad Scottish accent.