BERLIN - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a significant political defeat Sunday when voters in Germany's most populous state turned their backs on her ruling center-right coalition, according to early projections.

The results, if they hold up, will end the alliance's control of the country's upper house of parliament, making it difficult for Merkel to push through important legislation on matters such as tax cuts, healthcare changes and a decision to prolong the life of the country's nuclear power stations.

Projections based on a partial count of votes from North Rhine Westphalia, home to one in five Germans, gave Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party just over 34% of the vote and its coalition partner, the Free Democratic Party, 6.5%. The opposition Social Democratic Party also won more than 34% of the vote, with much of the rest going to smaller opposition parties.

Voting projections in Germany have traditionally proved reliable indicators. Final results are expected Monday.

"This election result is personally a very bitter one for both me and the CDU," said Juergen Ruettgers, the current chief of North Rhine Westphalia and a member of Merkel's CDU.

To read full Los Angeles Times story — Go Here Now.