NPD (National Democrats, neo-Nazis): they are strong in Saxony, which held regional elections a month ago; and want to take over from another far-right party in Brandenburg -- thus, even if they have no chance at 5% in the federal elections, they made plenty of noise in the campaign, with open xenophobia and threats. What worries me in this context is the latest poll in Berlin, which shows 12% "other".

CDU (Christian Democrats): officially, they hate the Grand Coalition and want the FDP. Which would unleash their neolib wing, which was thwarted 4 years ago. Unofficially, Merkel may prefer the Grand Coalition because it is with a known partner, and the FDP may strengthen inner-party rivals; and that seems one reason for leading a non-campaign (the another to sustain her fake presidential above-party-politics image).

The CDU is also hoping for potential partnerships with the Greens -- less alone ("black-green") than in an untested three-partner variant with the FDP too ("Jamaica").

CSU (Christian Socialists): the CDU's Bavarian counterpart (the CDU runs in 15 federal states, the CSU in the one remaining, but they have a joint faction in the federal parliament [and the EP]). The CSU always tries to emphasize its independent existence and relevance in campaigns, but this time, fed up with Merkel's non-campaign and the slide in the polls, they really had the wheels off. And led a very contradictory campaign.

On one hand, true to their more social roots, for two weeks the CSU attacked the desired future coalition partner FDP for neoliberalism. Who knows, maybe they played themselves up as guarantors that the FDP's batshit insane policies won't be implemented. However, in the next two weeks, they switched to another traditional theme, tax cut populism -- and suddenly emphasized the commonalities with the FDP.

FDP (Free Democrats, neolibs): beneficiaries of the bourgeois vote fed up with the SPD in government. Hence, desired partner: CDU/CSU, but they kept up a mirage of independence until last week when they declared the preference -- and rejected everyone else. True to ideology, they expend most rhetorical ire on the "reds", that is the SPD and Left Party; however, their biggest enemy seems to be the Greens, whom they strangely enough compete with for some of the same voters (urban, educated).

SPD (Social Democrats): in public, they too declared that they are fed up with the Grand Coalition. But want to govern. With whom? They admit the Greens would not be enough, but reject the Left Party as third partner ("red-red-green") -- so only one choice remains, lobbying the FDP ("traffic lights") -- who doesn't want.

Greens: sitting on the sidelines are the Greens, the only ones who would coalition with anyone, though they criticise everyone to various degrees -- the FDP and then the CDU most. Though last or before-last in the polls, they are heading for their best-ever result. Their fear is a loss of tactical voters to the SPD.

Left Party (hard left): officially, negating the CDU's scaremongering about a red-red-green coalition, they are writing off a coalition with SPD and Greens, for their stance on Afghanistan and Harz IV -- and are explicitly comfortable with their Overton Window effect from opposition.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}