The neo-Nazi National Democratic Party won seats in a second German regional parliament yesterday, confirming it is an emerging force in the economically depressed east of the country.

The party, which has a strong anti-immigration stand, took around 7 per cent of the votes in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It was a stunning improvement on its performance five years earlier, when it won less than 1 per cent, and it was all the more embarrassing for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is from the state.

The NPD made inroads by capitalizing on discontent in a region where about 18 per cent of the work force is out of work. Its candidates have also reached out to a new audience by ditching skinhead haircuts and steel-capped boots in favour of smart suits.

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