[Annotated] Angela Merkel will step down as head of her party

After a disastrous regional election in Hesse, Germany's chancellor's position has become untenable^[각주:1] 

"The time has come to open a new chapter," Angela Merkel said on October 29th, confirming reports that^[각주:2] she would not run again as party leader. She will remain Germany's chancellor for now^[각주:3], but said this will be her last term - saying publicly for the first time what had long been suspected. That means she will step down as chancellor in 2021 at the latest^[각주:4], and probably a bit earlier in order to let a successor bed in^[각주:5]. 

Mrs Merkel had intended to stand for^[각주:6] re-election as^[각주:7] party chairman at the next party conference of her centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) in December. But on October 28th the CDU suffered a major blow in^[각주:8] regional elections in^[각주:9] the German state of Hesse. The chancellor's announcement is^[각주:10] being seen as a dignified attempt to^[각주:11] stage-manage her own exit^[각주:12]. Germany's most recent chancellors have all been pushed out of office^[각주:13], after clinging on to power too long^[각주:14]. Mrs Merkel has said this is a fate she is keen to avoid^[각주:15]. "As the chancellor and the chair of the CDU, I carry responsibility both for^[각주:16] the successes and for the failures," Mrs Merkel told journalists in Berlin. 

In Hesse the CDU lost 11.3 percentage points compared with its score in 2013. It won the most votes with 27%, giving it the right to form the next coalition government^[각주:17]. And Mrs Merkel's close ally^[각주:18], the incumbent minister-president^[각주:19] Volker Bouffier, will probably stay as state premier^[각주:20]. But this was not a vote of dissatisfaction with Hesse's regional government. The economy there is booming^[각주:21] and the alliance between the conservatives and the centre-left^[각주:22] Greens^[각주:23] has proved unexpectedly harmonious^[각주:24] and effective. It was instead a slap in the face for^[각주:25] the central government in Berlin. Voters in Hesse punished both Mrs Merkel's conservatives and the SPD for a series of rows^[각주:26] and scandals in Berlin, where the two parties, along with the CDU's much smaller sister party from Bavaria, form the federal government. 

The coalition parties have spent much of this year in spats^[각주:27] over migration or squabbles over^[각주:28] top jobs in^[각주:29] Berlin. Voters are fed up and appear to have used these regional elections to send a message to the central government to that effect. Now pressure is growing on the SPD's leaders to leave the national coalition. This would bring down the government^[각주:30] and probably spark fresh elections^[각주:31]. Left-wing members believe that compromise with Merkel's conservatives is destroying the party, and each disastrous poll strengthens that feeling. 

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) were even bigger losers, scoring 19.8%, also down around 11 percentage points, meaning that proportionally^[각주:32] the result was even worse for them. That was their worst result since 1946 in the state, whose biggest city is Frankfurt. As in Bavaria two weeks earlier, the big success story was the Green party. It came in neck-and-neck with the SPD for second place^[각주:33], which for them meant a gain of almost 9 percentage points. The coalition wrangling^[각주:34] now begins, with^[각주:35] various permutations^[각주:36] possible between the six parties^[각주:37] in parliament^[각주:38]. The hard-right Alternative for Germany also did well, tripling their vote share to around 13%^[각주:39].) Most likely^[각주:40] the Greens will be able to carry on in government with the CDU - although, because of conservative losses, possibly now in a three-way "Jamaica" coalition with^[각주:41] the free-market Liberals. 

On the evening of the Hesse vote an ashen-faced^[각주:42] Andrea Nahles, the SPD party leader, faced journalists and talked of crisis^[각주:43], saying "the state of the government is not acceptable" and that something must change. She said she would start talks on October 29th, a sign she wants to prevent panic breaking out within the party^[각주:44] and that she will not quit the coalition immediately. But the mood is so bad within the party that a coup against her uninspiring leadership^[각주:45] is not out of the question^[각주:46]. 

Neither the SPD nor the CDU is ready for another election. The polls are gloomy and future leadership questions unresolved^[각주:47]. It took six months to form a coalition after last year's election, and since then the government has been embroiled in^[각주:48] time-wasting^[각주:49] infighting^[각주:50]. The calculation may well be that voters would punish any politician seen to be creating more political paralysis. That suggests that Germany's coalition may well limp on^[각주:51]. But with Mrs Merkel apparently now fully aware of the weakness of her position and the dissatisfaction over her second "grand coalition" with the SPD, German politics has now entered a time of great uncertainty. After 13 years, the age of Merkel is clearly drawing to a close. 

Now the race is on for her successor. In December CDU delegates^[각주:52] will begin the process by voting in the new party leader. Jens Spahn, Germany's health minister, has already announced he will run. Young, ambitious and outspoken^[각주:53], he has been a vocal conservative critic of Angela Merkel's refugee policy. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the CDU's current general-secretary, will also run. She is a centrist in the Merkel mode, and is viewed as the chancellor's preferred candidate. But Mrs Merkel has also said she does not believe in anointing successors^[각주:54], so she will let rivals fight it out^[각주:55]. Whoever does take over the country's most powerful party will not only determine the direction of the CDU, but also of Germany and indeed Europe. 

1. untenable ; [형용사] (격식) 이론·입장 등이 방어[옹호]될 수 없는 ;; [ADJ] An argument, theory, or position that is untenable cannot be defended successfully against criticism or attack. ; 미국∙영국 [ʌnˈtenəbl] [본문으로]
2. confirm ; 1. (특히 증거를 들어) 사실임을 보여주다[확인해 주다] ;; 2. [타동사][VN] ~ sth | ~ sb (in sth) (무엇에 대한 느낌이나 믿음을) 더 확실히 갖게 하다[더 분명히 해 주다] ;; 3. [타동사][VN] (지위·합의 등을) 확정하다[공식화하다] [본문으로]
3. for now ; 1. 우선은, 현재로는, 당분간은 [본문으로]
4. at the latest ; (아무리) 늦어도 [본문으로]
5. bed in ; 1.[VERB] [preposition, Tech:Engineering] to fit (parts) together accurately or (of parts) to be fitted together, either through machining or use, as in fitting a bearing to its shaft ;; 2.[VERB] [preposition] to make or become settled and able to work efficiently in harmony [본문으로]
6. stand for ; …을 상징하다, …을 의미하다; …을 대표하다; …을 옹호[찬성]하다; …에 입후보하다; …을 용납하다. ; 유의어 symbolize; represent; advocate; run for; tolerate. [본문으로]
7. reelection ; [명사] 재선. [본문으로]
8. suffer a blow ; 타격을 받다 [본문으로]
9. a local[regional, provincial] election ;; 지방 선거 [본문으로]
10. announcement ; 1. [C] 발표 (내용), 소식 ;; 2. [U] 발표 (행위) ;; [NOUN] [oft supp N, N that] An announcement is a statement made to the public or to the media which gives information about something that has happened or that will happen. [본문으로]
11. dignified ; 당당한, 위엄 있는(stately), 존엄한(majestic), 고귀한, 고상한(noble). ;; undignified [본문으로]
12. stage-manage ; [VN] 1. [타동사] 무대 감독을 하다 ;; 2. [타동사] (대중을 대상으로 한 어떤 일을, 특히 특정한 인상을 주도록) 꾸미다[조정하다] [본문으로]
13. be pushed out of ; ~에서 손을 떼다, 벗어나다 ;; 쫓겨나다, 퇴출당하다, 밀려나다 [본문으로]
14. cling on ; to hold something/somebody tightly; to not let go of something/somebody [본문으로]
15. be keen to ; ~을 하기를 간절히 바라는 [본문으로]
16. fulfill[carry out] one's responsibility ;; 책임을 완수하다 [본문으로]
17. coalition government ; [명사] 연립정부(복수 정당의 참여로 구성된 정부). ; 유의어 coalition cabinet. [본문으로]
18. a close[faithful, staunch] ally ;; 충실한[신뢰할 수 있는] 동맹국, 혈맹. [본문으로]
19. Minister-President ; 총리 ;; The head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers. [본문으로]
20. premier ; 1. (특히 신문에서) 수상(prime minister) ;; 2. (캐나다에서) 주지사 ;; [NOUN] The leader of the government of a country is sometimes referred to as the country's premier. ;; 미국식 [prɪˈmɪr; -ˈmjɪr] 영국식 [ˈpremiə(r)] [본문으로]
21. booming ; 1. 꽝 하고 우는[울리는] ;; 2. 벼락 경기의; <도시 등이> 급속히 발전하는 ;; 3. (미·속어) 굉장한, 멋진, 뛰어난 [본문으로]
22. center-left ; [형용사, 명사] (정치적) 중도 좌파(의). [본문으로]
23. 녹색당 ; the Green Party, (informal) Greens [본문으로]
24. harmonious ; 1. (관계 등이) 사이가 좋은, 조화로운 [본문으로]
25. a slap in the face ; 모욕; 실망시키는 행위; 낙담하거나 실망시키거나 하는 행위 ;; (고의적인) 모욕[면박] [본문으로]
26. row ; (비격식, 특히 英) 1. [C] ~ (about/over sth) (사람조직 등 간의) 심각한 의견 대립 ;; 2. [C] (사람들 사이의) 말다툼[언쟁] ; 유의어 quarrel ;; 3. [sing.] 소란, 소동 ;; 유의어 din, racket [본문으로]
27. spat ; 1. (비격식) 승강이, 옥신각신함, 입씨름 ;; [NOUN] A spat between people, countries, or organizations is a disagreement between them. [본문으로]
28. squabble ; (시시한) 싸움, 말다툼 ;; [VERB] When people squabble, they quarrel about something that is not really important. [본문으로]
29. top job ; 최고위직, 최고의 일자리, 최상의 직업 [본문으로]
30. bring down ; 1. ~를 실각[패배]시키다 ;; 내리다, 떨어뜨리다; 파멸[도산]시키다, 붕괴시키다; 콧대를 꺾다. [본문으로]
31. spark ; 1. [타동사][VN] ~ sth (off) 촉발시키다, 유발하다 [본문으로]
32. proportionally ; [부사] 비례해서; 비교적으로 [본문으로]
33. neck and neck (with somebody/something) (nip and tuck (with somebody) 특히 美) ;; (경주·시합에서) 막상막하로[대등하게] ;; (in a race, competition, etc.) level with each other [본문으로]
34. wrangling ; [명사] 논쟁 ;; wrangle ; [자동사][V] ~ (with sb) (over/about sth) (보통 오랫동안) 언쟁을 벌이다[다투다] ; [VERB] If you say that someone is wrangling with someone over a question or issue, you mean that they have been arguing angrily for quite a long time about it. [본문으로]
35. 숙어 표현인 begin with 과 구분하기 위해, 사이에 comma를 넣을 것으로 보임 [본문으로]
36. permutation ; [UC/] 1. (수학) 순열 ;; 2. 바꾸어 넣음, 교환, 치환(置換)(interchange), 변경 ;; 3. (축구 도박에서) 출전 팀의 대전 편성 [본문으로]
37. 꼭 2개의 정당 사이가 아니더라도, 여러개의 정당 사이를 표현하기 위해 between을 사용함을 확인 [본문으로]
38. parliament ; 1. (보통 P-) (보통 무관사)[U](영국의) 의회, 국회(the House of Lords와 the House of Commons로 이루어진다), (영국 자치령 따위의) 의회. ;; [NOUN] The parliament of some countries, for example Britain, is the group of people who make or change its laws, and decide what policies the country should follow. [본문으로]
39. triple ; (triples[-z]; tripled; -pling) …을 3배[중]로 하다. [본문으로]
40. most likely ; 아마, 필시 [본문으로]
41. coalition ; 1. 연합, 합동(union, alliance). ;; 2. (정당·국가·개인 간의 일시적인) 제휴, 연립, 연합. ;; [NOUN] [oft N n] A coalition is a government consisting of people from two or more political parties. [본문으로]
42. ashen-faced ; [ADJ] Someone who is ashen-faced looks very pale, especially because they are ill, shocked, or frightened. [본문으로]
43. talk of ; 1. …에 관해 이야기하다; …의 소문을 이야기하다 [본문으로]
44. break out ; (전쟁 등 안 좋은 일이) 발발[발생]하다 ; 참조 outbreak ;; if something unpleasant such as a fire, a war, etc. breaks out, it starts suddenly [본문으로]
45. uninspiring ; [형용사] 흥미롭지[활기차지] 못한, 시시한 ; 반의어 inspiring [본문으로]
46. out of the question ; 불가능한[의논해 봐야 소용없는] ;; impossible and so not worth considering [본문으로]
47. unresolved ; [형용사] (격식) 문제·질문이 미해결의, 대답되지 않은 ;; [ADJ] If a problem or difficulty is unresolved, no satisfactory solution has been found to it. [본문으로]
48. embroil ; 1. (분쟁·전쟁 등에) 휩쓸어 넣다(entangle) ((in)) ;; 2. 혼란[분규]시키다, 뒤얽히게 하다 ;; 3. 반목시키다 ((with)) ;; [VERB] If someone embroils you in a fight or an argument, they get you deeply involved in it. ;; 미국∙영국 [ɪmˈbrɔɪl] [본문으로]
49. time-wasting ; [U] 1. 시간 낭비 [본문으로]
50. infighting ; 2. 내분, (동업자간의) 경쟁, (막후의) 암투 ; 난투, 난전. ;; [NOUN] Infighting is quarrelling and competition between members of the same group or organization. [본문으로]
51. limp ; 2. <작업·경기 등이> 진척이 안 되다 [본문으로]
52. delegate ; 1. 대표, 사절, 파견 위원, 대리인(deputy) ((대표단은 delegation))(cf. REPRESENTATIVE) ;; 2. [미] (준주(準州)(Territory) 선출의) 연방 하원 의원, 대의원 ((발언권은 있으나 투표권이 없음)); (Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia 주의) 주의회 하원 의원 ;; [NOUN] A delegate is a person who is chosen to vote or make decisions on behalf of a group of other people, especially at a conference or a meeting. [본문으로]
53. outspoken ; [형용사] ~ (in sth) (남의 기분에 신경 쓰지 않고) 노골적으로[거침없이] 말하는 ; 유의어 blunt [본문으로]
54. anoint ; 3. …을 공식 선정하다, 지명하다. [본문으로]
55. fight |out sth / ˌfight it ˈout ; (갈등 등에 대해) 해결[결판]이 날 때까지 싸우다 [본문으로]