Bondskanselier Schröder kondigt vervroegde verkiezingen aan (en)

German chancellor Gerhard Schröder has said he will seek early general elections in autumn this year after his Social Democrat party suffered a massive defeat in the country's most populous state, North-Rhine Westphalia.

Polls showed the SPD scored 37.1 per cent of the vote against 44.8 per cent for the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU).

This is first time the traditional SPD stronghold has changed hands in almost four decades.

Following the defeat, Mr Schröder compounded the political turmoil in the EU's biggest member state by announcing he would seek elections this year, rather than next year as planned.

"With the bitter election result for my party in North-Rhine Westphalia, the political foundation for our work has been put into question", Mr Schröder said in Berlin on Sunday (22 May).

"In order for the continuation of reforms I consider necessary, the support of the majority of the people is indispensable".

A formal announcement on the early election, which might fall in autumn, is expected today (23 May).

The opposition appeared ready to accept the challenge however.

"If the SPD thinks there is a need for early elections then I can only say that every day SPD-Green is not governing is a good day for Germany", said CDU leader Angela Merkel.

"We're ready for elections", she added.

The electorate's ousting of the SPD in North-Rhine Westphalia appears to have been caused by the unpopular economic reforms being pushed through by Mr Schröder's government.