Dresden vote boost for Merkel's CDU

by Jerome a Paris Sun Oct 2nd, 2005 at 04:42:41 PM EST

With two thirds of the ballots counted, Andreas Lämmel, the local CDU candidate, had won the Dresden seat in the first-past-the-post race with just above 37.15 per cent of the votes against 32.17 per cent for Marlies Volkmer, his SPD rival.

Under Germany's complex electoral system, which gives each voter two votes, the result could mean either that the CDU could maintain its three-seat lead over the SPD, or possibly raise it by one seat.

This would seem to strenghten Merkel's hand to become chancellor in a grand coalition (and to hasten Schoeder's departure). Stay tuned.