On Sunday a region of Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia, held an election that will determine the future of Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel.
North Rhine-Westphalia has the most population of any German state. The region includes the cities of Cologne and Duesseldorf along with the industrial Ruhr territory. 13 million people were able to vote in this test for Merkel’s national government. The federal government and North Rhine-Westphalia are ruled by a center-right coalition of parties.
By the end of the day on Sunday, Merkel’s coalition failed and will lose its majority in Germany’s parliament’s upper house. This upper house represents the 16 states in Germany and has to approve any major legislation. Polls had indicated that the center right coalition would have a tough time getting reelected. The polls were right.
Chancellor Merkel’s coalition had not started off too well. There has been on going arguing over policy issues and Germany’s response to the Greek financial crisis. The loss in North Rhine-Westphalia will make it difficult for Merkel to run Europe’s biggest economy. It will complicate her efforts to pass tax relief to jump start Germany’s economy.
Merkel’s Christian Democrats and their partners won only 40% of the vote. The Christian Democrats won only 34.5% of the vote, which was 10 points less than they won 5 years ago. This leaves them well short of a majority. The opposition, Social Democrats won more than 34%, while the Green party won about 12.5%. It is unsure as to who will govern in the North Rhine-Westphalia state. The Social Democrats and Greens might try to team up with the Left Party which won 5% of the votes.
Juergen Ruettgers, a conservative, is the current governor of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is uncertain if he can retain power or if not, who would replace him.
With the loss in North Rhine-Westphalia, Merkel’s power has been diminished. The leader of the Free Democrats, one of Merkel’s allies, Guido Westerwelle said that the warning shot from the people has been heard and the parties will work to earn back the people’s trust. Westerwelle is the Foreign Minister, his party won 6.5% of the vote.
