3 German states vote in elections marked by migrant crisis

A nationalist party is expected to perform strongly amid unease over Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal approach to Europe's migration crisis.

Polls suggest the results will be uncomfortable for both Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union party and her partners in the national government, the center-left Social Democrats.

While her government has moved to tighten asylum rules, she still insists on a pan-European solution to the migrant crisis, ignoring demands from some conservative allies for a national cap on the number of refugees.

Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, the Social Democrats' leader, called Saturday for a big turnout in the vote and predicted that a large majority of voters will choose "democratic parties."

While a poor result on Sunday will likely generate new tensions, Merkel's position appears secure: she has put many state-level setbacks behind her in the past, and there's no long-term successor or figurehead for any rebellion in sight.