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Edition: U.S. Article Comments (0) Save Email Print Reprints Most Popular Most Shared BP seeks solution after spill plan glitch | Video 2:17am EDT Ash cloud closes 19 Spanish airports, could spread | Video 08 May 2010 Germans vote in state poll, big test for Merkel 08 May 2010 Study finds what makes calorie-burning "brown fat" 06 May 2010 Lose weight fast to get lasting results: study 07 May 2010 WRAPUP 13-Conservatives need partners after inconclusive UK vote 07 May 2010 Anger as NATO prepares to join Red Square parade 08 May 2010 Obama makes rare comment about dollar on Russian TV 08 May 2010 Oil at $65 a barrel may sound alarm bells for OPEC 08 May 2010 U.S. warns Pakistan after NY bomb attempt: report 08 May 2010 U.S. reverses stance on treaty to regulate arms trade 14 Oct 2009 Concert promoters embrace new media for fan services 07 May 2010 Economy impact to rise sharply if ash lingers 19 Apr 2010 Taliban to launch major offensive in Afghanistan 08 May 2010 Pope accepts resignation of German bishop in sex probe 08 May 2010 Obama makes rare comment about dollar on Russian TV 08 May 2010 Germans vote in state poll, big test for Merkel Paul Carrel BERLIN Sun May 9, 2010 2:41am EDT BERLIN (Reuters) - Germans voted in a state election on Sunday that risks weakening Chancellor Angela Merkel's government just months into her second term in office. World Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Free Democrat (FDP) allies must hold onto power in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) to keep her federal government's majority in the Bundesrat upper house of parliament. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) for the vote in Germany's most populous state, which is widely seen as a referendum on Merkel's roughly six-month old government. The poll has been eclipsed by Merkel's decision to release billions of euros in aid to Greece, a move deeply unpopular with voters. "The election is extremely important because it is the first vote after the federal election and the poll in this big German state is being seen as a test for her," said Gerd Langguth, political scientist at Bonn University and biographer of Merkel. There are some 13.5 million eligible voters in NRW and its economy is roughly the same size as those of Poland and the Czech Republic combined. A defeat for the CDU and the FDP in the state would end their majority in the Bundesrat and cause delays in delivering policies -- including tax cuts -- that they agreed after last September's federal election. Opinion polls show the CDU and the FDP, whose alliance in NRW mirrors a similar power-sharing deal at federal level, are short of the support they need to clinch a majority. Merkel has faced criticism from opposition parties for her handling of the Greece debt crisis after she initially resisted granting aid due to massive popular opposition to a bailout. After backing a Greek rescue package, Merkel said last week the plan must succeed or other European countries may suffer the same fate. She has also rounded on financial market speculators for exaggerating tensions in the euro zone. Five years ago, a defeat in NRW led then-chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to call an early election that he lost to Merkel. No one is expecting anything that dramatic this time around, but a defeat for CDU premier Juergen Ruettgers could signal a shift in the political tide in Germany, which has been moving in favor of the CDU for much of the past decade. Anything short of a CDU-FDP win would be a blow to Merkel. "If the CDU loses its majority with the FDP, which is to be expected, it would not be a catastrophe but it would certainly make things more complicated and difficult for the chancellor," said Langguth. (Additional reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Matthew Jones) World Add a Comment *We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language or appear to be spam and review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Analyst Research Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Labs Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts Venture Capital Journal International Financing Review Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. 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