BERLIN — Bavaria’s governing conservative party slumped to its worst state election showing in 54 years Sunday and lost its long-standing monopoly on power — a humiliating setback for a key ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The conservative Christian Social Union, or CSU, won only 43.4 percent of the vote, down from 60.7 percent five years ago, final results showed.
That left the CSU needing a coalition partner to run Bavaria, where it has held an absolute majority in the state parliament for 46 years. It was the conservatives’ worst result since 1954, when the party won 38 percent.
The CSU — the Bavaria-only sister party to Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union — has run the prosperous southern state since 1957 and held an absolute majority there since 1962.
Bavaria traditionally is an important source of votes for Merkel’s conservative bloc in national elections. Turnout was 58.1 percent. Some 9.3 million people were eligible to vote.
Ecuador: Big leftist victory
Exit polls are showing that Ecuadorans have approved a new constitution with at least 66 percent of the vote. It is a major victory for leftist President Rafael Correa.
The new constitution significantly broadens Correa’s powers and allows him to run for two more consecutive terms.
Critics say it gives Correa too much control over the economy as well as the legislative and judicial branches as he forges his own brand of socialism with such benefits as social security for stay-at-home mothers.
Belarus: No opposition wins
The head of the Belarus election commission says no opposition candidate won a seat in parliament with nearly all districts counted.
Sunday’s parliamentary election was seen as a major test of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko’s commitment to democratic reforms. Opposition leaders have alleged the vote was rigged despite promises by Lukashenko that international standards would be followed.
Results from 99 of the 110 districts showed all of the prominent opposition candidates lost, Central Election Commission head Lidia Yermoshina said early today. Those running in the remaining 11 districts are not well known.
Full results are expected later in the day.
