Merkel's SPD rivals suffer fresh blow ahead of September election
![Merkel's SPD rivals suffer fresh blow ahead of September election](https://www.thelocal.de/userdata/images/article/w468/01bd23c912251a4397471b1946be8032df92acfc18aea71cd4e23ec355b97498.jpg)
The Social Democrats (SPD) saw their coalition in the key state of Lower Saxony collapse on Friday, compounding the party's woes as it fights an uphill battle to unseat Chancellor Angela Merkel in next month's general election.