Japanese radiation leaks inflict electoral blow on Merkel government

The vote is not expected to cost her the job, but would certainly limit her ability to pass legislation.

Merkel handed the Greens victory in Baden-Württemberg with her perceived mishandling of the nuclear issue, likely resulting in the humiliation of the Greens installing their first state premier on CDU turf.

"This is a disaster for the CDU and there will be big discussions in the party," said Thorsten Faas, a professor of politics at MannheimUniversityin Baden-Württemberg, who sees a chance Westerwelle might have to quit the FDPleadership.

Days before the election, when it became crystal clear the CDU would lose control of a state it has governed since 1953 - relatively well, going by the strong economy and low crime and jobless rates - criticism of Merkel's nuclear and foreign policy decisions frothed on German newspapers' front pages.

Eminent conservatives balked at her decision to abstain in a UN vote on military action over Libyaand warned against the dangers of what her former mentor Helmut Kohl said would be an "overhasty, solitary German exit from nuclear energy".

Ex-CDU Defence Minister Volker Ruehe was quoted on the cover of the conservative Welt am Sonntag newspaper as saying that abstaining on Libyawas a "serious mistake of historic dimensions". CDU deputy whip Michael Fuchs said the German public had been perplexed.

"Our manoeuvres in the last two weeks simply did not convince voters," said Fuchs.