Final stretch of the election campaign in Hessen - je 25.01.2008 08
Michael BärJanuary 25, 2008
Two German states are holding parliamentary elections on Sunday. The votes are being seen as important tests of the federal government's popularity. Tensions are high in Hessen, where State Premier Roland Koch has been accused of stoking xenophobia with his call for a crackdown on crime committed by immigrant youth. Despite the controversy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has thrown her support behind Koch, defending his right to address sensitive political issues.