Merkel’s Survival Hinges on Election Threat of Greens, Far-Right
- Snap election would be a risk for slumping coalition parties
- SPD bounceback in polls could be biggest risk for government
Angela Merkel
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
If Angela Merkel sees out her fourth term as German chancellor, fear may likely play a greater role than political skill.
Merkel’s Christian Democrats have been plagued by a fierce leadership struggle and the Social Democrats, her junior coalition partner, are toying with the idea of exiting the coalition. Yet with the surge in popularity of the Greens and the far-right AfD, the risk of triggering a snap election and handing victory to the opposition looms large and may keep the coalition afloat for some time.