WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS, GEORGE BUSH?:

Gerhard Schroeder insists he wants to remain chancellor (Expatica, 18 September 2005)

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder made clear Sunday that he intended to remain chancellor, even though his Social Democratic Party (SPD) emerged in second place in the German elections.

"I regard myself as confirmed in office by our country and intend that there will be stable government under my leadership," Schroeder told SPD supporters.

"We have achieved what many in this country regarded as completely impossible," he said, referring to opinion polls published by the media suggesting he would lose. [...]

Schroeder ruled out a coalition with the Left Party. The position he staked out appeared to indicate he would aim at a coalition of the SPD, their Greens partners in the current government and with the liberal FDP.

The Greens and the FDP have both, however, ruled out such a 'traffic light coalition', and repeated their position after the election results started coming in.

Challenger Angela Merkel earlier declared victory despite failing to win enough votes in Germany's general election to set up a conservative-led government.

One would hope the Christian Democrats have sense enough to simply refuse to help form a government with the Left.

MORE:
Hung parliament looms in Germany (BBC, 9/18/05)

Germany's ARD television puts with Christian Democrats in the lead with 36% of the vote - much worse than expected.

Their preferred coalition partner, the pro-business Free Democrats, did well with 10%, according to unofficial exit polls - but apparently not enough to secure a joint majority.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats are estimated to have won about 34% of votes.

Posted by Orrin Judd at September 18, 2005 2:06 PM