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| Rival coalitions neck and neck in key German regional election | Rival coalitions neck and neck in key German regional election |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A centre-right coalition led by Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and its centre-left opponents emerged neck and neck in a regional election on Sunday, according to initial exit polls in a race that has serious implications for September's federal poll. | A centre-right coalition led by Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and its centre-left opponents emerged neck and neck in a regional election on Sunday, according to initial exit polls in a race that has serious implications for September's federal poll. |
| The CDU was claiming victory as the strongest party in the northern state of Lower Saxony, with 36%, and its Free Democrat (FDP) coalition partner defied poll predictions that it would fail to get into the parliament by securing 10% of the vote. | The CDU was claiming victory as the strongest party in the northern state of Lower Saxony, with 36%, and its Free Democrat (FDP) coalition partner defied poll predictions that it would fail to get into the parliament by securing 10% of the vote. |
| But the mood among Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens was also upbeat after they – like the CDU-FDP – polled 46% between them. But measured in parliamentary seats, the CDU-FDP coalition had a narrow advantage – a single seat – over an SPD-Green coalition, according to the initial results, making it the potential winner. The far-left Linke and the Piraten party failed to get into parliament. | But the mood among Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens was also upbeat after they – like the CDU-FDP – polled 46% between them. But measured in parliamentary seats, the CDU-FDP coalition had a narrow advantage – a single seat – over an SPD-Green coalition, according to the initial results, making it the potential winner. The far-left Linke and the Piraten party failed to get into parliament. |
| All parties were braced for a tense evening as the results were far from final. Behind the scenes the CDU was licking its wounds having failed to secure the 42% it had been predicted to win and seeing itself 6.5 percentage points down on 2008 results. | All parties were braced for a tense evening as the results were far from final. Behind the scenes the CDU was licking its wounds having failed to secure the 42% it had been predicted to win and seeing itself 6.5 percentage points down on 2008 results. |
| The FDP was expected to make a gain of 1.8 percentage points on previous results, and won at least seven points more than it had been predicted this time. | The FDP was expected to make a gain of 1.8 percentage points on previous results, and won at least seven points more than it had been predicted this time. |
| Political observers were speculating whether the FDP's solid performance was due to CDU supporters voting for it in a last-minute attempt to ensure the CDU-FDP coalition continues. | Political observers were speculating whether the FDP's solid performance was due to CDU supporters voting for it in a last-minute attempt to ensure the CDU-FDP coalition continues. |
| The Social Democrats managed a 2.2-point rise in their share of the vote from 2008 to secure 32.5%, while the Greens polled 13.5%, a 5.5-point gain. | The Social Democrats managed a 2.2-point rise in their share of the vote from 2008 to secure 32.5%, while the Greens polled 13.5%, a 5.5-point gain. |
| About six million voters were eligible to participate in the election, which was watched closely by political observers at home and abroad because the government in Lower Saxony reflects the composition in the Bundestag. | About six million voters were eligible to participate in the election, which was watched closely by political observers at home and abroad because the government in Lower Saxony reflects the composition in the Bundestag. |
| Led by the charismatic state prime minister, David McAllister, the CDU and the FDP had recently drawn even in opinion polls with the SPD-Greens, having trailed badly last year. McAllister, who is half-Scottish, had the enthusiastic backing of Merkel, who appeared at several rallies with him. | Led by the charismatic state prime minister, David McAllister, the CDU and the FDP had recently drawn even in opinion polls with the SPD-Greens, having trailed badly last year. McAllister, who is half-Scottish, had the enthusiastic backing of Merkel, who appeared at several rallies with him. |
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