BBCNews that the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) is nudging ahead of the mainstream Social Democratic Party (SPD) in the east German state of Saxony has shocked many Germans.
According to a recent opinion poll by the Forsa Institute, support for the neo-Nazi NPD is at 9%.
The poll suggests that the SPD would pick up only 8% of the vote if there were regional elections, while the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) would still maintain a clear lead at 39%.
The main losers are the Social Democrats, whose support has shifted to the new Left Party, at 27%.
Employment fears
For the last few years, voters in Saxony have turned to the neo-Nazi party because they are disillusioned with mainstream politics and they are increasingly fed up with the region's high unemployment rate.
In 2004, in a surprise result, the NPD entered the regional parliament in Saxony, after winning more than 9% of the vote. That was more than the 5% share that parties need before they can sit in parliament.
"The survey shows that the NPD is a party that has strong support in Saxony. The NPD is accepted as a normal party in some parts of the state," said Manfred Guellner, director of the Forsa Institute.
"Many young, unemployed men support the NPD. They're attracted to the far-right ideology and the sense of belonging, and hope for the future, which the NPD seems to offer them." .........
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