Germany chooses Angela Merkel again as its chancellor. This augurs well for the nation which is need of the continuity in reforms.
The Times of India writes (30 September 2009)
She was expected to win, and she did. But German chancellor Angela Merkel's party the Christian Democratic Union saw a dip in its fortunes. However, that may not be too galling for her. Not only is she crowned leader of Germany for another, she might just be more effective this time around because of the changed complexion of the coalition she heads. Instead of the Social Democrats with whom the Christian Democrats shared a stuffy relationship, much like the Congress did with the Left in India it will be the pro-business Free Democrats who will now partner Merkel. This marks a decisive right turn in German politics. The Social Democrats have suffered their worst ever showing since World War II and will be in opposition for the first time in over a decade. Other Left players such as the Greens have not fared well either, freeing up the turf for Merkel to push ahead with a centre-right agenda. This will have implications not just for the way German domestic politics plays out, but also for global equations. The German election results bring into relief Europe's turn towards conservatism, at a time, ironically, when Barack Obama is being accused by some of his more imaginative opponents of turning America into a European-style socialist state. Germany joins Italy and France in opting for right-of-centre dispositions. Britain could soon join ranks given that Gordon Brown's Labour is down and out ahead of elections scheduled for next year. If the Tories make their expected comeback in the isles Nicolas Sarkozy, Merkel and David Cameron could form a formidable trio, shaping Europe's economic future. What's uncannily similar about these three leaders is that they all have hijacked centre-left positions on welfare benefits, environment, nationalised healthcare and fused them successfully with their own capitalist ideals, presenting voters a potent option of security plus opportunity. Germany's over-reliance on industry and engineering, some experts argue, needs to be revisited if it is to stand up to the challenges of modern capitalism. Merkel is expected to focus on the economy and possibly ease labour laws, cut taxes and push for nuclear energy at home. Germany is one of the world's crucial economies and an influential international player. It appears to be in good, steady hands with Merkel as chancellor. She ought to be able to resist protectionist pressures with the help of her new-found coalition partners, which is welcome news for India.
