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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (117738)	6/2/2005 3:35:46 PM
From: Elsewhere	Respond to of 794027

<Germany: The CDU's Foreign Policy> Yes, the author mentions the key players. As a service for PfP I have looked up the bios. Ok, the descriptions on the linked pages are in German but sometimes it also helps to see a photograph of a person. I rank them by decreasing importance as I judge it: Dr. Angela Merkel bundestag.de A physicist who grew up in East Germany. Even after an election victory a lot will depend on her - drastic reforms will mean a lot of resistance. Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble bundestag.de A veteran of German politics. For some time he was supposed to be Kohl's heir. Due to his physical condition (bound to the wheelchair since having been attacked at an election campaign event) he won't have a front role but this might even increase his influence as a strategic thinker. US-friendly. Dr. Wolfgang Gerhardt bundestag.de Actually not a member of the CDU but the FDP, the presumable CDU coalition partner, and a likely candidate for the foreign ministry. He would be a reliable companion for Merkel. Dr. Friedbert Pflüger bundestag.de A kind of "little Schäuble". <Let's hope that the pundits forecasting a CDU victory are right.> Two challenges until then: - The German President must accept Schröder's wish for an early election. Schröder has yet to propose a constitutionally acceptable reason to dissolve parliament. - Schröder must fail to produce a last-minute gimmick which helps him to win again.