Regional Elections Will Offer a Glimpse Into Germany’s Political Future

Two regional elections on March 14 will test the popularity of Germany’s political parties ahead of the country’s first federal election in two decades where Chancellor Angela Merkel won’t be on the ballot. The outcome will also influence the decision on who Merkel’s governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) picks as its chancellor candidate. Germany’s Sept. 26 federal election will likely result in a fragmented parliament and months of negotiations to form a coalition government. Though voters make their choices based on a combination of national, regional and local issues, regional elections tend to have an impact at the federal level, which makes the upcoming votes in Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate worth watching to get a read on Germany’s political landscape before the federal election....