The key state of Lower Saxony will hold a snap poll in October just weeks after a general election, officials said on Monday, after the Social Democrats' coalition government there collapsed. Stephan Weil, the premier of Lower Saxony, Germany's fourth most populous state and home to auto giant Volkswagen, announced the state poll would be held on October 15th. Lower Saxony had been due to hold its state election in January. A recent poll saw the SPD trailing the CDU in the state by about 14 points. The new election follows three state poll defeats this year for the SPD, which is deeply divided between leftists and reformers under leader Martin Schulz, Merkel's main challenger.

Source: The Local August 08, 2017 07:07 UTC