Merkel to rally support after Bavaria poll setback

BERLIN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed on Monday to try harder to rally support after her main ally, the Christian Social Union (CSU), suffered a major election setback in Bavaria state.

Earlier on Sunday, the centre-right CSU polled just 43.4 percent of the vote in its worst showing in half a century, and it will have to embrace one of the minor parties as a coalition partner to retain power.

Merkel, in a brief statement to reporters, said the result was " disappointing," adding that the CDU/CSU, which fights national elections on one ticket and is known as the "Union," will campaign next year on the economy, labor issues, education and integration.

There's a need to "support people in a time of globalization, and to formulate rules for the global economy," Merkel said.

"For this the Union parties are together well prepared with our fundamental values: Christian, social, liberal and conservative," she said.

"We'll stand together, the CDU and CSU," Merkel said.

"In the coming months in the grand coalition, the Union will have to be a factor of stability. We'll have to struggle to deal with international events, including the financial crisis and its effects on Germany," she said.