GERMANY: Germany's Social Democrats were ousted from office in Saxony-Anhalt by disillusioned eastern voters in regional elections yesterday.
The election, in the economically depressed eastern state demonstrated the volatility of eastern German voters and reminded politicians that next September's general election will be won or lost in the east. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) was the main winner, capturing 38 per cent of the vote, according to exit polls, a swing of over 15 per cent. The party leader, Mr Wolfgang Böhmer, a gynaecologist turned politician, announced immediate coalition talks with the liberal Free Democratic Union (FDP), who captured 14 per cent of the vote.
The SPD vote was halved to less than 20 per cent, leaving the party in third place behind the reformed communist PDS. Mr Reinhard Hoeppner, the state prime minister, announced his resignation shortly after the polls closed.
Voters punished him for failing to rehabilitate Saxony-Anhalt's reputation as Germany's "problem child", with the highest rates of unemployment and debt and the lowest per capita income in the country.
His minority government first took office eight years ago with the support of the PDS, at the time a watershed in Germany politics.
"This result is a debacle for Gerhard Schröder's economic politics. It's a clear signal for Berlin," said Mr Edmund Stoiber, the Bavarian Prime Minister and conservative chancellor hopeful. He called yesterday's result a "turning point" and a "firm basis" for a conservative general election victory in September.
In reality, the result is more embarrassing for Mr Schröder than politically significant.
However, it does increase the conservative majority in the second parliamentary chamber, the Bundesrat.
This would hamper Mr Schröder's reform plans in a second political term. The dramatic swing to the right demonstrates once again the volatility of voters in eastern Germany.
"It is undoubtedly a dramatic result however we should not overestimate its importance," said Mr Franz Müntefering, the SPD chairman, adding that the SPD was determined to win a second term in office. "This is going to be a fight, not a walk in the park," he said.
