Saarlouis, Germany  - The German state of Saarland edged closer to an unprecedented coalition between Christian Democrats (CDU), Free Democrats (FDP) and the Green Party on Sunday, after the Greens voted in favour of such a government.

This would place Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU and her new federal partners, the FDP, in the driving seat in the western state, ending weeks of speculation that the Greens could enter into coalition with the Social Democrats and the radical Left Party.

The Greens held a kingmaker role in the state after winning the smallest share with less than 6 per cent of the vote during state elections in August. The party opted to join the CDU and FDP for a centre-right government, beating out the centre-left SDP and the Left.

Either option would have chartered unknown political territory in Germany. This will be the first time a so-called "Jamaica" coalition of CDU (black), FDP (yellow) and Greens governs at the state level. The partnership gained the name because the colours used to represent the parties are the same as those in the Caribbean nation of Jamaica's flag.

The general secretary of the CDU, Ronald Pofalla, welcomed the decision.

"The red-red-green dream of the SPD finally burst today," Pofalla told the Monday edition of German daily Financial Times Deutschland, in reference to the colours used to label SPD (red), the Left (red) and the Greens.

Last week, a surprise decision by Saarland's charismatic Left Party leader Oskar Lafontaine to prioritize state politics over his national party role was seen to pave the way for a viable left- leaning coalition.

Both SPD and the Left Party criticized the Greens' decision, claiming it was dishonest and went against the wishes of the people. Lafontaine's Left Party had increased their vote by a stunning 19 per cent, to 21.3 per cent of the vote.

Hubert Ulrich, the leader of the Greens in Saarland, said his party did not trust the Left Party, which was founded by members of the former East German state communist party.

"I have no trust in this man and this party," Ulrich said of Lafontaine, who quit the SPD to join the Left Party four years ago.

A state premier is due to be elected in coming weeks. (dpa)