[FairOpinion]

This is very encouraging. I hope she prevails and will have enough power to implement her agenda.

Then Schroeder and Gore can cry into their beers together, and keep muttering that they really won the election.

[csmusaret]

Where is Helmut Kohl when you need him?

[Hoodlum91]

I'm w/you.

When is Chirac up for re-election? I know his opposition is doing MUCH better than he is. (Isn't his approval ratings somewhere in the 20's?)

How will the global climate change if Schroeder and Chirac are both gone?

[indianrightwinger]

If Angela cannot implement true reforms, then it will be a wasted opportunity for the conservatives.

I favor waiting another turn.

[neodad]

Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union

Three words normally not used in the same sentence.

[Mears]

This election has been fun to watch.

[EGPWS]

Then Schroeder and Gore can cry into their beers together, and keep muttering that they really won the election.

They could always dig into the peanut bowl while having those beers and gain confidence in knowing that a Nobel prize winner who agrees with them showed their way to be a firm and accepted one via his own actions.

[albee]

"The conservatives’ position seems to have been strengthened by signs within the SPD that it might ultimately be obliged to ditch Schröder, despite his attempts to portray himself as the true victor.

Schroder is beging to sound like Algore Lite!

[inkling]

The King County Elections Board just called in. Apparently Christine Gregoire is the new chancellor of Germany.

[Robert A Cook PE]

“Schröder’s claim to victory is untenable but time is running out for both challengers,” said Axel Murswieck, a political commentator. “His aim now appears to be to take Merkel down with him as a sort of final blow against conservatism.”

Probably the single most telling lines of the story.

The (international) socialists have Russia, France,and Germany's (socialist) leaders as the ONLY dominance against Bush worldwide: In fact, Germany and France the "rest of the world" that the democrat socialists are talking about when they complain about international opposition to US/UK efforts against Muslim terrorism.

[Tom Bombadil]

Shroeder should have hired "Serpenthead Carville".

[cmsgop]

Schroder is a Dangerous Man, I will keep an eye on him.

[Atlantic Bridge]

This is very encouraging. I hope she prevails and will have enough power to implement her agenda. Then Schroeder and Gore can cry into their beers together, and keep muttering that they really won the election.

The problem is, that Merkel not really won the election. She doesn't have enough votes to form a coalition with the FDP. Therefore she needs the SPD and its consent to gouvern.

There will be a high price she has to pay. To me it would be better to accept different persons than a programmatic retreat. Germany needs change and not only a new chancellor with the old program. There are enough people on the conservative side like Koch, Wulff or Schaueble, who could take over the lead. It would help the SPD to move without loosing their faces. Schroeder is doomed anyway, but he made up the question who will be the next chancellor as a matter of personal "honour". Since he made a really terrific election campain for the SPD (the CDU was in polls over 45% only a few weeks before the election) he managed to get strong personal support inside the party again. Therefore they will accept all his decisions. Those SPD-guys (Kurt Beck and Henning Scherf) who made the unloyal remarks about Schroeder, do not have enough influence to force their party into a certain direction. If Schroeder goes, he will be rewarded as a martyr who sacrificed his personal career to the "Vaterland" For his failures he will get a high pension, a contract with Gasprom and public recognition. This fact is pissing me off to no end, since I will have to pay for the damage he has done to my country over many years.

BTW - I am sure that Peer Steinbrueck of the SPD, who is not that bad, will play a important role in the new gouvernment. The critical question will not be the new faces, but the the new program of the German administration. It seem to stay interesting...

[Rome2000]

As long as Speer does the lighting.

[Accygirl]

This is why you should lose a 15 point lead to begin with!!!

[JasonC]

The critical thing to understand is whoever becomes the next chancellor has the power to call fresh elections, to resolve this mess. Or to prevent them from being called, letting the silliness continue.