BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s allies have swept to victory in a state election in Bavaria. They’ve regained the absolute assembly majority they lost in 2008. The result provides Merkel a show of conservative strength a week before the entire country goes to the polls.

According to projections, the Christian Social Union, sister party of Merkel’s Christian Democrats, won 49 percent of the vote. It puts them firmly in control of the prosperous southern state they have governed for 56 years.

But it wasn’t all good news for the chancellor. Her centre-right coalition partner, the Free Democrats Party, slumped to just 3 percent. 5 percent is needed for state assembly seats.

(Source: CNTV.cn)