Plastic: Early Elections Loom In Germany As Socialists Lose Stronghold

"As unthinkable as US Republicans losing Idaho or Democrats losing Massachusetts, as unlikely as UK's New Labour losing Scotland, that's how surprising it was when Germany's Social Democratic Party ('SPD') lost elections in North Rhine-Westphalia after 39 years of ruling Germany's most populous and industrialized state." (more at link)

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Ah, political machinations the world over grind and wheeze.
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