THE nightmare scenario for Germany's centre-right looks as
follows: Come Monday morning, the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) of chancellor Angela Merkel will, as expected, begin
negotiating with its opponents, the Social Democrats (SPD), to
form a coalition because their pairing will be the only
mathematically and politically plausible way to form a
parliamentary majority. The SPD's candidate, Peer Steinbrück,
kicks off the bargaining but then honourably bows out, leaving
the field to others in his party. Mrs Merkel remains chancellor.
But--and now the nightmare starts--only for about half a term.
During those two years, the parties change. The SPD, remembering
its punishment by voters the last time it cooperated in a grand
coalition (2005-09), positions itself with new leaders (or
repurposed old leaders) and keeps up its nouveau-leftist
rhetoric. Meanwhile the far-left party Die Linke (The Left)
gradually disciplines its most kooky elements and begins seeming
responsible, at least some of the time. The Gre