Angela Merkel’s successor could be left, right or Green

IN AMERICA presidential campaigns start soon after the mid-term elections and last nearly two arduous years. In Germany, in contrast, for most of this year it was hard to tell that one of the most important elections in post-war history will take place on September 26th. It was only in the first week of August that posters sprouted on lampposts across Berlin, featuring the three high-profile contenders for the chancellorship as well as obscure local politicians running for parliament. Political advertisements are at last running on television. The Social Democrats even broke a taboo this month by running a negative one, attacking the religious beliefs of a close aide of Armin Laschet, the conservative candidate who is the narrow front-runner to succeed Angela Merkel, who is retiring after 16 years as chancellor.