MAINZ, Germany – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her governing center-right Christian Democrats suffered a landslide defeat Sunday in local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state. 

The result is a stinging set-back for the German leader and will make it more difficult for her to govern. With a likely loss of the government coalition's majority in the upper house of parliament, important legislation initiatives on Merkel's political agenda could face strong resistance from opposition parties.