Gerd Langguth Quotations

Never before has a new government hit the public with so many burdens.

Mrs Merkel has always been underestimated. She has an uncompromising will to succeed. She always seems to know what to do next and then get on with it.

She appeals to the German brain, if not the German heart. She doesn't inspire strong emotions. But she does inspire strong thinking about what is truly best for the nation.

She has a cool personality. She does not easily express her emotions. That may explain why people have difficulty identifying with her.

She is a stranger to most Germans. Many East Germans think of her as a West German, while West Germans think she is an East German.

It could be her first large setback but let's wait and see.

The existence of this Left Party is going to make it so much harder for either the centre-left on the one side or the centre-right on the other to form a coalition for a long time.

Things are increasingly pointing toward a grand coalition of the CDU/CSU and SPD. This seems like a trend that may firm up before voting day.

As soon as this election was called in May, it automatically became about what the CDU would do differently, rather than what plans the SPD had, ... And perhaps inevitably, some of the CDU proposals appear painful.

Angela Merkel believes fiercely that Germany needs a freer, more individualistic society, and more market-oriented economy, precisely because she grew up in the very opposite -- in the communist east.

Both sides are faced with enormous pressure to make this coalition work. That involves concessions on both sides. What matters, though, is the joint will to actually start tackling the trouble spots.

People see Merkel as an alternative out of their desperation. She may not be, but that's how they see her now.

The episode symbolized that she is capable of making unexpected decisions in difficult situations.