German Chancellor Olaf Scholz comments on the situation in the Middle East, one day after Hamas' attacks on Israel, in the chancellery, Berlin, Germany, October 8, 2023. REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's opposition conservatives were on track to win state elections in Hesse and Bavaria on Sunday, according to exit polls by state broadcaster ARD, highlighting discontent with the Chancellor Olaf Scholz's centre-left federal government.
In Hesse, the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) looked set to take 35.5% of the vote compared to 16% for Scholz's Social Democrats, dealing a personal blow to Interior Minister Nancy Faeser who ran as the SPD's lead candidate in the state.
In Bavaria, CDU's sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) looked set to take 37% of the vote - its worst result since 1950 albeit likely enough to continue its coalition with the populist Free Voters on 14%. The SPD, which is traditionally weak in Bavaria, trailed with 8.5% of the vote.
The two junior partners in Scholz's coalition, the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP), did worse than in the 2018 elections in the two states - with the FDP on track to fall out of the parliament in Bavaria.
Meanwhile the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) made gains, rising to 16% in Hesse and 15% in Bavaria compared to 13.1% and 11.6% respectively in 2018.
(Reporting by Sarah Marsh and Thomas Escritt)
