Hamburg - Chancellor Gerhard Schr÷der's Social Democrats (SPD) looked set to be ousted in Hamburg for the first time in 44 years yesterday by a "law-and-order" advocate dubbed "Judge Merciless".
Even though public support for the German leader had surged after the attacks on the US, a poor showing by its coalition allies and fears of crime in a city believed to have hosted some of the suicide hijackers looked set to end SPD rule in Hamburg.
Projections by Germany's ARD television two hours after voting ended showed a conservative coalition - including the judge on some 18 percent - had won enough support to oust the centre-left from city hall for the first time since 1957.