Lafontaine rules?

[Carl Remick]

I've been surprised to see no discussion here of the news that
entrepreneur Jost Stollmann will not become the German economics
minister.  Seems to me that this is one of the clearest indications to
date that Schroeder (willingly or not!) will not preside over just
another ho-hum centrist government in the Clinton/Blair mold.  Following
is from today's NY Times: 
Choice for Economics Post Spurns Offer by Schroeder
FRANKFURT, Germany -- Throughout his campaign for chancellor, Gerhard
Schroeder portrayed himself as a pragmatic "new" Social Democrat who
would promote economic growth while strengthening Germany's generous
social welfare system. 
But hopes for that kind of happy balance collided with reality Monday,
when Schroeder's candidate for economics minister turned down the job on
the grounds that the ministry was being eviscerated. 
The exit of Jost Stollmann, a self-made millionaire who started a
computer company, is the strongest sign that the new government will be
more left-wing than pragmatic. 
The move also suggested that much of the political power in the
government lies with Oskar Lafontaine, the more left-leaning chairman of
the Social Democratic Party who will head the Finance Ministry, which is
acquiring new responsibilities from the Economics Ministry. [end of
excerpt]
Carl Remick