Balance of Power: Angela Merkel’s Struggle to Find a Partner

With Angela Merkel a veritable shoo-in to win a fourth term as chancellor when Germans vote on Sunday, the big question is whether she can build a coalition that favors the wide-ranging measures to shore up the euro that the rest of the currency union is preparing.

Merkel’s current partners, the pro-European Social Democrats, are staring at a historically low result and have expressed great reluctance to support her for another term. Still, if their vote holds up better than expected, they might be persuaded to join another grand coalition and support greater European integration.