Berlin's Shock Therapy

AP PHOTO / JOCKEL FINCK

The exit of Müntefering, pictured, and Stoiber, and wasnt all bad news

Just when things seemed to be going so well, talks on forming a coalition government in Germany hit a major snag. Or did they? On Monday, Social Democratic Party (spd) leader Franz Müntefering stepped down over differences with the left wing of his own team. Then Edmund Stoiber, the silver-haired leader of the Christian Democratic Union's (cdu) sister party, the Christian Social Union, also quit, claiming he could not work with anyone but his close friend Müntefering. Angela Merkel's attempt to stitch together a government as Germany's first female Chancellor was thrown into doubt. are you politicians...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!