German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed on Monday to try harder to rally support after her main ally, the Christian Social Union (CSU), suffered a major election setback in Bavaria state.
Earlier on Sunday, the centre-right CSU polled just 43.4 percent of the vote in its worst showing in half a century, and it will have to embrace one of the minor parties as a coalition partner to retain power.
Merkel, in a brief statement to reporters, said the result was " disappointing," adding that the CDU/CSU, which fights national elections on one ticket and is known as the "Union," will campaign next year on the economy, labor issues, education and integration.
There's a need to "support people in a time of globalization, and to formulate rules for the global economy," Merkel said.
"For this the Union parties are together well prepared with our fundamental values: Christian, social, liberal and conservative," she said.
"We'll stand together, the CDU and CSU," Merkel said.
"In the coming months in the grand coalition, the Union will have to be a factor of stability. We'll have to struggle to deal with international events, including the financial crisis and its effects on Germany," she said.
Source: Xinhua
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