Election/ Hessen/ setback for Roland Koch - Journal (english) 28.01.2008

There's been a major setback for one of Germany's most prominent conservative leaders following two key regional elections on Sunday. In the southern state of Hessen, Roland Koch had been hoping to win a third term in office as state premier. And at the heart of his controversial election campaign had been a call for a clamp down on violent crime committed by youths with immigrant backgrounds. But many commentators are saying that strategy backfired and that appears to be reflected in the outcome of the vote in Hessen.