Kiel,Germany - Efforts by Schleswig-Holstein Christian Democrat Premier Peter Harry Carstensen to call a snap election in his German state suffered a setback Monday, with the other party in his coalition voting against dissolution of the state assembly. The coalition is a replica of Chancellor Angela Merkel's alliance of Christian Democrats (CDU) with their oldtime rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD). Its removal would cement the CDU's claim to be Germany's paramount political force.
The CDU moved the dissolution of the Schleswig-Holstein assembly, but failed to win the necessary two-thirds support in the legislature in Kiel.
Carstensen said, "I am surprised." He said the SPD had told him they wanted a snap election.
The premier, who aims to go to the polls on September 27, the same day as Germany's national election, immediately initiated a different procedure, a vote of no confidence. Normally elections would not be due till next May.
Parliamentary officials said the confidence vote would likely be taken on Thursday.
This procedures requires Carstensen to seek a "vote of confidence." The SPD and the opposition are committed to voting against him, so that his government falls. If his opponents cannot form a government, an election must then be held.
Carstensen's CDU and the Social Democrats (SPD) have been uncomfortable allies in the state, which borders on Denmark. They fell out over the terms to rescue the state's main bank from collapse.
Opinion surveys say the CDU and a small pro-business party, the Free Democrats, can win sufficient popular votes to govern.
Many pollsters expect the CDU to emerge as Germany's sole large party at this year's general election, with national support for the Social Democrats, formerly Germany's natural party of power, collapsing to little more than 20 per cent.
