Germans in tiny Saarland vote in big test for Merkel

Germans in the small western state of Saarland yesterday voted in a regional election that could deliver an upset to Chancellor Angela Merkel and hurt her prospects of winning a fourth term in September's national election.

The election carries significance as it is the first of three regional votes ahead of the Sept 24 federal vote and as such it offers an opportunity for the parties to build - or lose - momentum in their quest to prevail at national level.

The vote is the first electoral test for the Social Democrats under their new leader, Martin Schulz, who has re-energised the centre-left party with a promise to tackle inequality that is resonating with many voters tired of Merkel.

Like federal Germany, Saarland is currently governed by a 'grand coalition' of Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

But polls suggest a left-leaning 'red-red-green' alliance of the SPD, the far-left Linke party and the environmentalist Greens - or even a 'red-red' coalition if the Greens fail to win enough votes - could emerge after the vote.

A three-way leftist alliance in Saarland, which has some 800,000 eligible voters, would be the third at state level after Berlin and the eastern region of Thuringia and could give impetus to a similar format at national level.

With the Linke and Greens both on 8 percent nationally, the poll suggested the three left-leaning parties could form a federal coalition government after September's election.

Under Merkel, Germany has enjoyed economic growth and high employment, but the gap between rich and poor has grown. Schulz is trying to win over dissatisfied working class voters with a message of social justice.