Saarbruecken, Germany But the results continue a worrying trend of the SPD being thrashed in regional votes this year and are a grim omen for three more key elections to be held this month. In Brandenburg, some polls show the former East German communists - the Party of Democratic Socialism - have overtaken the SPD to lead with the CDU trailing in third place. Meanwhile, in Saxony the ruling CDU may lose its majority but polls give the SPD scant chances of taking control of the state. Voters in both Brandenburg and Saxony go to the polls on September 19. The bigger worry are local elections on September 26 in Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. An SPD defeat here could pave the way for the SPD state government to be tossed out of office in state elections next May 22. --SP 2328 Local Time 2028 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/198433