German elections seen pointing to 'grand coalition'
polls also confirmed what has become increasingly clear in recent days -- that Merkel may struggle to form a coalition with her preferred allies, the liberal Free Democrats, and could instead be forced into an alliance with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats. Germany has had only one such ''grand coalition" between its largest parties in the post-war era, a government run by Christian Democrat Chancellor Kurt-Georg Kiesinger between 1966 and 1969. Schroeder has ruled out participating in such a government, which, barring a dramatic shift in the polls, would be run by Merkel. But leading moderates in his party appeared, for the first time, to be preparing the ground for a link with the CDU if Merkel wins but is unable to get a parliamentary majority with the FDP.
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