Gero Neugebauer
Gero Neugebauer
ballots conflicts finally form goal likely major overcome people punish sick
That can't be the goal of any of the major parties. The people would likely punish them at the ballots for not being able to overcome their inner-party conflicts and finally form a government. They're sick of it.
chancellor good image skepticism suffers
Skepticism was big when Merkel started. Now the CDU is profiting from the good image of Chancellor Merkel and all that went well in the government, while the SPD suffers from all that went wrong.
criticism critics-and-criticism directed grand inside mean price race
I think that there has been criticism directed at Schroeder from inside the party. Schroeder is doing some downgrading of the price of a grand coalition, but that doesn't mean he is completely out of the race for chancellor.
coalition grand might neither nor
A grand coalition is the likeliest option, but who will become chancellor, no one could yet predict. In the end, it might be neither Schroeder nor Merkel.
backing firm initial leadership planned position prime received repeated somewhat state step strategy sure taking whether
We're still not sure whether all this is a planned strategy of the SPD leadership or if they are taking it step by step. It put the CDU under initial pressure, but it somewhat backfired, as Merkel's position has received firm and repeated backing from her state prime ministers.