GERMANY: German voters delivered a stinging blow to Chancellor Gerhard Schröder last night after his Social Democratic Party (SPD) polled its worst result in state elections in Bavaria, which saw a landslide victory for the ruling Christian Social Union (CSU).
As expected, the CSU's four decades of rule in Bavaria will continue for another four years, now with a two-thirds majority. Less expected, though, was the level of frustration with the SPD-led federal government in Berlin, a frustration voters vented on the Bavarian SPD.
It lost nearly 10 per cent support to poll just 19 per cent, according to exit polls. Voter turnout was also down 10 per cent to 59 per cent.
"That is a sensational and historic result. This day will stretch out into the next years," said CSU leader Mr Edmund Stoiber last night, almost a year to the day after he narrowly missed out on winning the election to become Germany's next Chancellor.
The SPD has lost three state elections since returning to power last year, strengthening the majority of the opposition conservatives in the upper house, the Bundesrat, and allowing them to block government reform measures.
"This result means it's going to be tight for Mr Schröder and that we have our chance to push through our ideas in the Bundesrat," said Ms Angela Merkel, leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU), the sister party of the CSU.
Nevertheless, Mr Schröder can begin work on pushing through his employment market and social welfare reforms - unpopular measures that Bavarian conservatives resisted backing ahead of the state election.
The SPD never seriously expected to win the Bavarian election: the conservatives have ruled Germany's largest state longer than the communists ruled east Germany.
Mr Stoiber fought a campaign based on the "Bavarian model of success", highlighting the economic strength of Germany's largest state compared to the rest of the country.
Bavarian SPD leader Mr Franz Marget was dubbed a "tragic hero" by one magazine for fighting a valiant but ultimately pointless election campaign.
"This is a bitter moment for the SPD and for me personally," said Mr Marget last night.
Opposition conservatives rejoiced at the result.
The triumph is likely to revitalise Mr Stoiber's national profile a year after Mr Schröder snatched electoral victory from under his nose. Mr Stoiber was beginning to look yesterday's man in the past months but speculation began yesterday evening that he might face Mr Schröder again in three years' time.