GERMANY: After six months of wrangling, the last political man standing in Berlin is a woman: Angela Merkel. SPD leader Franz Müntefering resigned last month, Bavarian leader Edmund Stoiber fled Berlin to Munich and, last night, Gerhard Schröder retired from politics. Dr Merkel's swearing as Germany's eighth post-war chancellor comes six months to the day after it all began.
May 22nd: The Social Democrats lose control of North-Rhine Westphalia after nearly 40 years and Chancellor Schröder calls an election a year early. CDU-SPD poll difference: 20 points.
July 1st: In the Bundestag, Mr Schröder brings down his government and Mr Müntefering says Dr Merkel "is perhaps suitable for a job in Absurdistan but not in Germany". Dr Merkel says the SPD is so divided that it "belongs in the opposition" and gets a laugh when she names as her coalition partner the SPD and not the FPD. A prophetic slip of the tongue.
August: The campaign gets dirty. Mr Schröder rejects CDU plans to raise VAT, saying "under Dr Merkel everything will get more expensive but no better".
September 5th: Mr Schröder wins the television debate with Dr Merkel and closes the CDU-SPD gap to 10 points.
September 18th: Election upset as the CDU finishes with 35 per cent, six points behind polls and one ahead of the SPD. Mr Schröder tells Dr Merkel to "get real" if she thinks his party will join a government under her leadership.
September 28th: After other coalition possibilities fail, the CDU and SPD begin "talks about talks", with both demanding the right to appoint the chancellor.
October 3rd: Mr Schröder says he is prepared to stand aside as chancellor.
October 10th: CDU and SPD agree to begin coalition talks and that Dr Merkel will be chancellor.
October 31st: SPD leader Franz Müntefering resigns after a party revolt against his candidate for deputy leader. CSU leader Edmund Stoiber decides not to join the Berlin cabinet.
November 11th: A coalition deal promises huge cutbacks and a VAT hike.
November 22nd: Angela Merkel's government is sworn in with her 15 ministers - five women, 10 men. Eight are from the SPD, five from the CDU and two CSU. Some 61 per cent of Germans think she will be an effective leader.