German Chancellor Angela Merkels centre-right coalition has suffered defeat in a state election costing it its majority in the upper house, according to exit polls. It seemed voters in the western region of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) handed Merkels coalition defeat, only days after parliament approved the colossal loan package for Greece. Mrs Merkels Christian Democrats won around 34 percent with coalition allies the Free Democrats (FDP) polling 6.5 percent, leaving them well short of a majority in the state legislature. Meanwhile, the opposition centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) also polled around 34 percent, the Greens 12.5 percent and the relatively new political outfit, the far-left Linke party, scored six percent. The centre-rights loss means the coalition would be deprived of its majority in the Bundesrat upper house, hobbling Merkels ability to push through key reforms in Europes top economy. The timing of the election could hardly have been worse for Merkels Christian Democrats, who have ruled NRW in an alliance with the pro-business FDP since 2005. Most Germans oppose the 22.4 billion euros (19.3 billion) in loans over three years to debt-wracked Greece as Germany grapples with its own dire fiscal straits. NRW was ruled by the same centre-right coalition Merkel has in Berlin, making the poll a damaging referendum on her government eight months after she won re-election.
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