Both of Merkel’s partners in an unhappy “grand coalition” of Germany’s traditional major parties lost significant ground in Sunday’s vote in one of the country’s most important states. Party leaders appeared keen to maintain discipline ahead of another state election in two weeks, in neighbouring Hesse. Seehofer’s conservative party received 37.2 per cent of the vote, down from 47.7 per cent five years ago. Sunday’s result was its worst performance since 1950 in a state vote in Bavaria, which it has traditionally dominated. It now sits in 15 of Germany’s 16 state parliaments, as well as the national parliament.

Source: National Post October 15, 2018 08:27 UTC