People & Politics - The Bavarian conservatives are acing a dramatic loss of influence - 19.08.2008

In just over a week´s time, the pulses of policy-makers in Bavaria will be racing ... as they face their voters in next week´s state election. In theory, the ruling Christian Social Union should be confident. The Bavaria-based sister party to Chancellor Merkel´s Christian Democrats has ruled the southern German state with an absolute majority since 1962. That strength has also helped the conservatives win elections at the national level, which is why Chancellor Merkel will be keeping a close eye on the Bavarian election. But the CSU´s omnipotence is under threat. There´s a strong challenge from smaller parties. And Günther Beckstein, the new Bavarian premier who took over from Edmund Stoiber last year has failed to mobilise supporters.