A new match for black
Angela Merkel wins big, but now depends on the opposition to form a government
THE morning after Germany’s federal election, Angela Merkel, the chancellor, stood in front of her wardrobe. “Can’t do red, can’t do bright green, blue was yesterday. What do you do? So I chose something very neutral. And please do view it that way.” The anecdote, as she told it later that day, was vintage Merkel. The German public got the joke and understood that the hour of her triumph was the wrong time to put pressure on the losing opposition parties, which have the colours red and green. For Mrs Merkel now depends on either red or green to form a new government.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “A new match for black”
From the September 28th 2013 edition
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