A coalition kaleidoscope

摘要

Juergen Ruettgers is one of Germany's big guns. He is premier of its most populous state and social conscience of the Christian Democratic Union (cdu). He would like to be president. Yet he is now battling to stay in office. On May 9th voters in North Rhine-Westphalia (nrw) will decide whether to re-elect him as premier and extend his party's partnership with the liberal Free Democratic Party (fdp), the same coalition that governs Germany from Berlin. A no on either count would rattle Chancellor Angela Merkel. If Mr Ruttgers survives but changes partners, he may even present Germany with a model for its next federal government.