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German state of Lower Saxony to hold early election Oct. 15

German state of Lower Saxony to hold early election Oct. 15 | iNFOnews.ca
File - In this Nov. 18, 2016 file photo Lower Saxony governor Stephan Weil sits in front of a wall with Volkswagen logos in Wolfsburg, Germany. Weil says he allowed Volkswagen to vet a 2015 speech about the automaker’s diesel scandal. German weekly Bild am Sonntag reports that VW, which is part-owned by Lower Saxony state, suggested removing some of the harsh criticism of its emissions trickery. Governor Stephan Weil’s office confirmed Sunday Aug. 6, 2017 that the speech was sent to VW’s chief lobbyist and lawyers, but denied softening his criticism of the company as a result. (Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa via AP,file)

BERLIN – The German state of Lower Saxony has scheduled an early election for Oct. 15 after the centre-left coalition lost its parliamentary majority.

The balloting will take place three weeks after the national election on Sept. 24 in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel is seeking a fourth term.

Lower Saxony governor Stephan Weil announced the date Monday after discussions with other parties.

Weil’s Social Democrats and the Greens have run the state since 2013. Its single-seat majority evaporated last week when a Green lawmaker defected to Merkel’s conservatives.

Lower Saxony is one of Germany’s largest states and home to automaker Volkswagen, in which the state holds a 20 per cent stake. Volkswagen employs about 100,000 people in Lower Saxony and has been embroiled in a scandal over diesel car emissions.

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Abbey Westbury

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