Far-left fails in first attempt to take power in eastern German state

The reform communist Left party failed in its first attempt to take power in the eastern state of Thuringia, after a vote in the regional assembly left it just short of a majority.

A second vote was under way in the assembly in the state capital Erfurt. The Left party candidate Bodo Ramelow has three chances to be confirmed as state premier. In the first round of voting, he received 45 votes, one short of a majority in the 91 seat assembly.

The Left party, which traces its roots to Erich Honecker's Socialist Unity Party (SED) that built the Berlin Wall, is seeking to rule the sparsely populated state with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens in a new three-way coalition.

If Ramelow is successful, he would become the first premier of a German state from the Left party.