REMEMBER HOW UPSET THEY WERE THAT IT TOOK A WHILE TO CERTIFY OUR ELECTION RESULTS IN 2000?

New German government coalition in doubt as top socialist quits (Lisbeth Kirk, 01.11.2005, EU Observer)

The newly built German governing coalition, lead by Angela Merkel, has been severely shaken after Franz Muntefering, chairman of one of the coalition parties, the Social Democrats, said on Monday (31 October) that he will step down.

Mr Muntefering will not run for re-election as leader of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) in November after losing a key power struggle within his own party. [...]

Mr Muntefering was meant to serve as vice chancellor and labour minister in the new government, but has now said that he is not sure whether he will do so.

The turmoil has also given another key figure in the new coalition, Bavarian prime minister Edmund Stoiber and leader of the Christian Democrat sister party (CSU) second thoughts about his role in the new government. [...]

The row will prolong uncertainty over the political leadership in Germany, the EU's biggest economy.

The country has been without effective leadership since July, when the red-green coalition led by chancellor Gerhard Schroder gave in.