BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG (2)

The Baden-Württemberg election has claimed its first major casualty. Guido Westerwelle, leader of the FDP, the junior partner in the federal coalition, has resigned as party leader and Vice-Chancellor, though he will carry on as Foreign Minister.

Since polling almost 15% in the 2009 federal election, which allowed them to replace the Social Democrats as Mrs Merkel's partners, the FDP have gone relentlessly downhill. In Baden-Württemberg they just managed to get over the 5% threshhold needed to get into Parliament; but in the Rheinland-Pfalz election held on the same day, they failed. Mr. Westerwelle is taking responsibility for these defeats by falling on his sword.

Yet another example of how difficult it is to be both Foreign Minister and party leader. The former requires you to be abroad a lot, hobnobbing with foreigners; the latter at home a lot, hobnobbing with the troops. It is almost impossible for a mere mortal to do both jobs well.

Walter Blotscher