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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| German far-right eyes poll gains | German far-right eyes poll gains |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| People in two German states are voting for new parliaments, with predictions suggesting gains for the far-right and a setback for Chancellor Angela Merkel. | |
| The Social Democrats are favoured over Ms Merkel's Christian Democrats in the city-state of Berlin. | The Social Democrats are favoured over Ms Merkel's Christian Democrats in the city-state of Berlin. |
| In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the far-right National Democratic Party could go over the 5% threshold and enter the parliament. | |
| Two states in former communist eastern Germany already have far-right MPs. | Two states in former communist eastern Germany already have far-right MPs. |
| Neck-and-neck | Neck-and-neck |
| The NPD's support is partly explained by its hard anti-immigrant stance in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which has soaring unemployment. | The NPD's support is partly explained by its hard anti-immigrant stance in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which has soaring unemployment. |
| Ms Merkel, who became the country's first woman chancellor less than a year ago, would want to do well in the state, in which her home constituency lies. | Ms Merkel, who became the country's first woman chancellor less than a year ago, would want to do well in the state, in which her home constituency lies. |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is currently being governed by a so-called "red-red" coalition of Social Democrats (SPD) and the Left Party. | Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is currently being governed by a so-called "red-red" coalition of Social Democrats (SPD) and the Left Party. |
| Opinion polls show that the SPD are running neck-and-neck with the Christian Democrats (CDU). | Opinion polls show that the SPD are running neck-and-neck with the Christian Democrats (CDU). |
| But it is the strong showing of the NPD that is expected to make the headlines after the elections. | But it is the strong showing of the NPD that is expected to make the headlines after the elections. |
| Manufacturing has collapsed across the former East German state following reunification in 1990, forcing many of its residents to go west in search of work. | Manufacturing has collapsed across the former East German state following reunification in 1990, forcing many of its residents to go west in search of work. |
| The government of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had tried to ban the NPD, describing it as a latter-day version of Hitler's Nazi party. | The government of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had tried to ban the NPD, describing it as a latter-day version of Hitler's Nazi party. |
| But Germany's Supreme Court rejected Mr Schroeder's bid in 2003. The NPD has its lawmakers in the state of Saxony, following regional elections in 2004. | But Germany's Supreme Court rejected Mr Schroeder's bid in 2003. The NPD has its lawmakers in the state of Saxony, following regional elections in 2004. |
| Another far-right party - the German People's Union (DVU) - entered the parliament in the state of Brandenburg. | Another far-right party - the German People's Union (DVU) - entered the parliament in the state of Brandenburg. |
| In Berlin an opinion poll has given Social Democrat mayor, Klaus Wowereit, a 10 percentage point lead over Christian Democrat, Friedbert Pflueger. | In Berlin an opinion poll has given Social Democrat mayor, Klaus Wowereit, a 10 percentage point lead over Christian Democrat, Friedbert Pflueger. |