[ICX]

Did somebody say vindication?

[saveliberty]

The CDU scored 43 percent, retaining its absolute majority of seats in the state parliament.

The CDU chairman in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Juergen Ruettgers, told ARD public television that the SPD's disastrous result marked "the beginning of the end for Gerhard Schroeder".

Nuff said!