Parliamentary elections are underway in Germany amidst growing fears of terrorist attacks. Opinion polls show the race between Chancellor Angela Merkel and her chief rival the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, tightening. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel of the Christian Democratic Party, CDU, casts her ballot for the German general elections in Berlin, 27 Sep 2009As many of Germany's 62 million eligible voters go to the polls, surveys indicate that Chancellor Angela Merkel will win a second four-year term. However, by a narrower margin than originally predicted.

Ms. Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union party had hoped for a big win so it could cut its ties with the center-left Social Democrats. But, this is now open to question as the Chancellor's main rival for the post, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has been gaining ground.

Leader of the Social Democrats, Steinmeier is also the current foreign minister. His party and the Christian Democratic Union have been in an uneasy coalition since the 2005 elections.

A big win by Ms. Merkel would allow the Chancellor to break up with the Social Democrats, which have frustrated her efforts to push through economic reforms. The Chancellor would like to team up with the small pro-business Free Democratic Party, which reportedly would be more open to her economic policies.

Tensions have been raised in the camapaign by a series of last-minute threats by Islamic extremists. While security has been tightened, the message of fear apparently has not reached everyone.

Two videos by al-Qaida and by the Taliban appeared Friday. Both threatened retaliation for Germany's military presence in Afghanistan. They demanded Germany pull its 4,200 troops out of the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

Some 62 million Germans are eligible to vote on Sunday.