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Merkel takes over as Chancellor

Heads an unwieldy alliance of Right and Left in Germany

BERLIN: Conservative leader Angela Merkel was elected on Tuesday as Germany's first female Chancellor, taking power at the helm of an unwieldy alliance of the Right and the Left that faces the tough job of turning around Europe's biggest economy.

Lawmakers voted 397 to 202, with 12 abstentions, to make her Germany's eighth leader since World War II, giving her well more than the 308 votes she needed.

She succeeds Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder, whose seven-year Centre-Left Government was ousted by voters on September 18, and becomes the first German leader from the formerly Communist East.

Schroeder greeting

Mr. Schroeder was the first to walk over and congratulate a smiling Ms. Merkel after the result was announced.

She was sworn in several hours later, promising in her oath of office to defend the country's Constitution. The Protestant minister's daughter added the optional, ``So help me God,'' words that Mr. Schroeder omitted.

Ms. Merkel, a 51 year old former scientist, will need all the help she can get as her Government, made up of politicians who until a few weeks ago were partisan opponents, tackles chronically high unemployment — currently at 11 per cent — and lagging economic growth.

Tuesday's vote comes six months after Mr. Schroeder announced that he was seeking national elections a year early, plunging Germany into political uncertainty, and more than two months after an inconclusive election forced Germany's biggest parties into talks on a so-called ``grand coalition.''

The difficulties that could face the coalition were apparent in the vote, with at least 51 lawmakers from the coalition voting against Ms. Merkel in the secret ballot. The coalition has 448 seats in the 614 seat lower House.

Many were likely Left wing members of Mr. Schroeder's Social Democrats, uneasy at the linkup with their conservative election opponent.

Neither the Social Democrats nor Ms. Merkel's conservatives got a majority at the polls for their preferred coalitions with smaller parties, forcing them to work together. Voters rejected Mr. Schroeder, but also balked at giving Ms. Merkel a mandate for streamlining the welfare state and trimming back strong worker protections.

Awkward compromises

By taking the Social Democrats on board, Ms. Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union has been forced into awkward compromises on taxes and welfare state cuts that some fear could undermine the coalition.

Economists and business leaders wonder if it will be able to take tough and potentially unpopular action to reduce the costs Germany imposes on businesses to pay for its generous welfare state benefits.

In coming to a consensus for the coalition, Ms. Merkel bargained away key campaign pledges such as limiting union power in regional wage negotiations and accepted a Social Democrat demand for a ``rich tax'' on top earners.

The Social Democrats finished a close second and have secured half the 16 seats in Ms. Merkel's Cabinet, including the high profile Finance and Foreign Affairs portfolios. — AP

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