State Election Adds to Gains by Social Democrats in Germany
German left wing parties won a regional election in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Sunday. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, the conservative Christian Democratic Union, won only 24 percent of the vote while the liberal Social Democrats won 36 percent of the vote and the even further left Green party won 8 percent of the vote. The election puts further strain on Mrs. Merkel's coalition as her party and her allies the Free Democrats have had poor showings in recent elections.