D-Day for Merkel: German chancellor faces punishment at the polls over open door refugee policy in 'Super Sunday' state elections

Polls have predicted an uncomfortable evening for Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party, as the results come in from Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt tonight. It is the first major elections held in Germany since the start of the European migration crisis and Ms Merkel's 'open door' refugee policy, which has been both praised and criticised in the country. It is believed both the CDU and Ms Merkel's partners in the national government, the center-left Social Democrats will lose support, while the big winners are set to be the right-wing anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD). Germany registered nearly 1.1 million people as asylum-seekers last year as Ms Merkel insisted 'we will manage' the challenge, a stance which - while supported by many voters - drove others into AfD's arms