Beck was sick for the last two weeks and will come back on the stage Monday. A lot depends on what he says then. The party still seems fairly loyal to him, but he will probably have to scale his move to the left back somewhat in order to avoid a challenger from the Schröder wing.

With all the drama going on in Hesse, it's very hard to say what might happen next - but it's definitely too early for obituaries.

"If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles." Sun Tzu