SAARBRUCKEN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party easily won a regional election on Sunday, dealing an early blow to centre-left hopes of ending her more than decade-long reign.

In the Saarland State vote, Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) won 40% against 30% for the Social Democrats (SPD), according to early results by public broadcaster ZDF.

The vote in the tiny State of Saarland on the French border, which has a population of only one million, was seen as a bellwether ahead of the September 24 general election in which Ms. Merkel will seek a fourth term. The SPD have made strong gains in national opinion surveys since Martin Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament, took over in January.