Ms Merkel has a number of political opponents within her own party who might be happier to serve under Mr Schröder than under her. One of them is the formidable Friedrich Merz, a former finance spokesman, a man with a visceral animosity towards Ms Merkel. Angela Merkel ’s failure to land a decisive victory in the German elections has sent shockwaves around the European Union and left supporters of economic reform in despair. nejtillemu