Germany: Derek Scally savours the agony of the CDU and Schadenfreude of the left in Berlin last night
If German foreign minister Joschka Fischer is looking for a new job anytime soon, he should consider a post as political prophet for hire.
When Chancellor Schröder brought down his government for early elections on July 1st, his Social Democratic Party (SPD) was 20 points behind the opposition CDU of Angela Merkel. But Mr Fischer warned: "Dr Merkel, at this moment with your opinion polls, you appear like a magnificent-looking souffle in the oven. We'll see what's really left after the voters prick into it. I can't wait." Last night, at 5.59pm the world was still in order. Hundreds had packed into a sweaty marquee outside the party's Konrad-Adenauer-House headquarters. Silver-haired ladies sipped champagne while red-faced men downed frothy beer. A minute later, the souffle popped. A glass fell over and shattered in the silence of 800 people holding their breath. The party had lost, not gained, votes. Dr Merkel's dream of a coalition with the liberal Free Democrats was in tatters.
Small groups stood around dissecting the disaster and scarcely noticed when Dr Merkel slipped in the side door and took to the stage. She looked like she really could have done without the cries of "Angie! Angie!" and the prolonged applause.
"The election is over and with this result we have to do the best we can. We have to see," she said, wearing a smile that was nothing short of tragic. This wasn't the speech she was expecting to deliver last tonight and she disappeared as soon as was decently possible.
A funereal atmosphere settled over the marquee and people starting drinking again, but moved on to red wine.
The funereal atmosphere appeared to have drifted down the road from the Willy-Brandt House, the headquarters of the SPD. The place was next to empty before the first exit polls, with journalists and the few party faithful circling each others suspiciously. Half an hour after the polls closed, though, the place was packed. The air was heavy with Schadenfreude - unconcealed glee at the CDU's misery.
"The result for the CDU is a personal defeat for Mrs Merkel," said SPD leader Franz Münterfering.
An hour later, Chancellor Schröder entered the hall to cheers rarely heard outside a football stadium, laughing broadly, thumbs up.
"I've done my part and what many professional observers thought impossible," he said, before glaring down at the journalists at his feet. "Those who tried to bring about a change in the office have grandiosely failed." Later on television Mr Schröder couldn't conceal his glee, inspecting his fingernails with a smile as Dr Merkel talked up her result. "Compared to what was broadcast and written in the last weeks there is one clear loser, Mrs Merkel," he said.
The grand prophet, Joschka Fischer, croaked his way through yesterday's Green Party festivities in a huge airport hangar. "I said on July 1st that Mrs Merkel reminded me of a souffle. Today you can see what's left," he wheezed to furious cheers from young party faithful.
All over Berlin last night, journalists and politicians sharpened their pencils, put their heads together and sat up into the wee hours drinking heavily, adding up the possible majorities. The German people have spoken, but what have they said? Perhaps the political scientists of the future will explain this election shock for the CDU as the curse of Mick Jagger. He was annoyed when the CDU decided to use as their campaign theme the Rolling Stones song Angie.
Perhaps the party faithful will listen closer to the lyrics, as Mick Jagger wails: "All the dreams we held so close/Seemed to all go up in smoke."