German general elections: more of the same

Well. Flying back from two weeks on the Maldives (brilliant) yesterday - I was reading the latest issue of the Economist which emphasized the need for change in Germany.

Yesterday's general elections however, have not brought any change. Even if Merkel's conservatives could secure a disappointing 1 percent victory - the outcome is still a stalemate.

Hence, nobody will be able to form a powerful coalition able to conduct decisive actions to liberalize Germany's rigid labor structures. Even a so called 'grand coalition' formed of the two major parties will probably lead to half-hearted compromise rather than to a policy of progressive change.

So, more of the same it is in Germany and one will see how long this country will bear these political configuration before calling for elections again.