Merkel rocked by Berlin election setback

Reports of the City State Election in Berlin on the 18 September 2011. The Social Democrats held on to power in the regional government, while the Free Democrats failed to gain representation at all. Instead, the Pirate Party would enter the parliament with over 8% of the votes.

The humiliating result for the FDP was a new blow for German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU-FDP coalition government just as it faced a critical parliamentary vote on measures to stabilise the eurozone.

ESO: Background information: Merkel suffers blow in regional election http://www.europeansources.info/record/merkel-suffers-blow-in-regional-election/

Deutsche Welle, 19.09.11: Social Democrats win Berlin elections, Pirate Party enters legislature http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15397392,00.html

Spiegel Online, 18.09.11: Klaus Wowereit Wins Third Term as Berlin Mayor http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,786967,00.html

BBC News, 18.09.11: Germany's Merkel suffers poll setback in Berlin http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14966358

Financial Times Deutschland, 19.9.11: Berlin party animal to take on Merkel? http://www.presseurop.eu//en/content/news-brief-cover/963421-berlin-party-animal-take-merkel

Süddeutsche Zeitung, 19.9.11: Children of Marx and Microsoft (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu//en/content/article/969281-children-marx-and-microsoft

Deutsche Welle, 19.9.11: 'Ready for change': Pirate Party is the real winner in Berlin state election http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15399521,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 19.9.11: German press review: Establishment takes a beating in Berlin elections http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15397728,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 19.9.11: Germany's Pirate Party Celebrates Historic Victory http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,787044,00.html

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