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A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 8 May 2017

Merkel’s conservative party does well in German local vote

By DAVID McHUGH broadcast by ARD televi-
Associated Press sion showed Merkel’s Chris-
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) tian Democrats, headed
— German Chancellor by local candidate Daniel
Angela Merkel’s conserva- Guenther, were in the lead
tives came in first Sunday with 32.8 percent of the
in a local election seen as vote, ahead of the second-
a warm-up for her bid for place Social Democrats
a fourth term in a national who had 26.7 percent.
election in the fall. Defeated Social Demo-
The results in the small cratic governor Torsten Al-
northern state of Schleswig- big called it “a bitter day.”
Holstein were a blow to her Preliminary estimates indi-
main national challenger, cated the Christian Demo-
Social Democrat Martin crats could form a 42-seat
Schulz, whose party’s gov- majority in the region’s
erning coalition was eject- 69-seat parliament with
ed from office there. the Greens and the pro-
The Social Democrats had business Free Democrats.
governed the region of 2.8 Or they could form a left-
million people since 2012 in right coalition with the So-
coalition with the Greens cial Democrats.The Social
and the small SSW party of Democrats would in theory
German Chancellor Angela Merkel handles a lump of syrup as she visits a candy cookery in Eck- the region’s Danish major- have enough seats in a co-
ernfoerde, northern Germany when campaigning before the state elections in Schleswig-Holstein. ity. alition with the Free Demo-
(Carsten Rehder/dpa via AP) Exit polls and early returns crats and the Greens. q

German president says Israel ties solid despite recent spat

JERUSALEM (AP) — Germa- earlier this year. It comes what would otherwise have come forward with their sity in Jerusalem.
ny’s president said Sunday two weeks after Israeli been a routine visit to Israel war stories to shine a light He said diverse voices are
that despite recent dis- Prime Minister Benjamin by the German president. on problems either un- “the oxygen of democ-
agreement the foundation Netanyahu canceled talks Netanyahu said after meet- known or ignored by the racy” and said he believes
of his country’s relations with the German foreign ing with Steinmeier that public. But many Israeli “those who raise their voice,
with Israel remains solid — a minister because the visi- Israel has a “unique part- leaders have portrayed who criticize, but also re-
reference to a recent dip- tor chose to meet Breaking nership” with Germany. In them as traitors, in part spect the voices of others
lomatic spat over an Israeli the Silence, a group of for- an apparent dig at Break- because their reports and — they are not traitors of
anti-occupation group. mer Israeli combat soldiers- ing the Silence, Netanya- lectures are often aimed at the people, but guardians
Frank-Walter Steinmeier is turned-whistleblowers who hu said Israeli troops have foreign audiences. of the people.”
in Israel on his first foreign oppose Israel’s rule over “moral standards second Steinmeier addressed the Israel and Germany have
trip outside Europe since the Palestinians.The dispute to none.” dispute at a speech in Ger- had a long, close and com-
he was elected president has cast a shadow over The group says soldiers man at the Hebrew Univer- plicated relationship. q