Germany: the last big test of voter sentiment ahead of the national poll in September is this weekend's state elections

Three states are voting for a new government: Saxony and Thüringen in the east, and the tiny state of Saarland on the border to France. While Chancellor Merkel's CDU is riding high in the polls on a national level, surveys show her party may lose control of government in both Saarland and Thüringen, where they're facing a major challenge from the Left Party.