I would think Westerwelle is bound to take the AA whatever his wishes may be because according to protocol that's the second-highest office after the Chancellorship. What kind of a figure this maturity-challenged opportunist will cut on the world stage is another story...

The new government will not go after workers' rights until after the NRW elections next May (that is, not if they care about getting the CDU-led coalition re-elected). Rüttgers works pretty hard at keeping up relations with labor and has declared himself a support of codetermination. Any move before them will both undercut CDU support and undermine Rüttgers' credibility personally.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman