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Politicians in Bavaria are in the final weeks of campaigning for its state elections which are seen as a bellwether poll for the national political landscape. And a billboard in the Bavarian town of Regensburg, campaigning for mainstream socialists the Left Party, depicted Jesus as a left-wing voter with socialist ideals. The billboard read: “More sharing. More peace. More brotherly love. Jesus would have voted for us.” Critics claimed the bold statement was made in desperation as the Left Party is currently polling about three to four percent in the run up to the October 14 elections.

This Left Party billboard in Bavaria has claimed Jesus would have voted a socialist government

It is a significant drop from the usual 10 percent mark it achieves in nationwide elections – and is below the five percent threshold needed to win seats in the Bavarian parliament. The largest state in Germany is predominantly Conservative and Christian, with around 58.6 of Bavarians polled as Catholic followers. Austrian Political commentator Kai Weiss said: “Socialism and Christianity have always had a rough going with one another, to say it mildly. All the more surprised I was when I spotted the following billboard of the Left Party recently in my hometown Regensburg (which is in Bavaria). “Of course, socialism doesn’t lead to “more sharing” – it leads to more taking forcefully from one to give it to others. It doesn’t lead to “more peace” – it leads to destruction and death.

“And it doesn’t lead to “more brotherly love” – it leads to distrust among one another.” Bavaria, one of Germany’s most prosperous and stable states, has its own state elections for 180 members in its state parliament. It gives a picture of the sense of feeling across the country between national elections. Angela Merkel said to be facing an uprising in her torn coalition government, formed with the right leaning Social Democrat Party (SPD) and her own Christian Democrat Party (CPD).

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Right wing leaning states such as Saxony have been demonstrating over the problems faced by 1million migrants flooding in to Germany. Support for the right leaning Alternatigve for Germany party (AfD) has strengthened, which is thoght to have been caused splits to emerge between the CDU and CSU leaderships, notably regarding Mrs Merkel’s contentious migration and refugee policy. The CSU are predicted to suffer heavy losses in the vote on October 14, with one poll suggesting they could lose up to 13 percent in the historically conservative state. Research conducted by Infratest dimap indicated support for the CSU in Bavaria stood at 35 percent, compared to the 47.7 percent it won in the previous local elections in 2013.

Bavarian President of Bavaria said the polls were "a wake up call"