The future of Angela Merkel’s government in Germany was cast into renewed doubt yesterday as the chancellor's coalition partners faced calls to withdraw their support.

In the wake of heavy losses in regional elections in Bavaria, leaders of the centre-Left Social Democratic party (SPD) were urged to pull out of the ruling grand coalition, raising the prospect of early elections or a minority government.

Andrea Nahles, the SPD leader, sought to play down a possible split yesterday, insisting she would not set out any conditions for the party remaining in Mrs Merkel’s government. But the SPD announced that its leadership is to meet next month for discussions on the future of the coalition.

Mrs Merkel put heavy losses in the Bavarian elections down to a “loss of trust in politics” following prolonged coalition negotiations last year. “As chancellor, it’s my job to restore that trust,” she said yesterday.

It was her Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), which dominated the headlines after its worst result since 1950 in Sunday’s regional elections.