At a time of growing international economic anxiety, the mighty German economy continues to perform remarkably well. It remains the world’s champion exporter, growth is only marginally lower than a year ago, and investor confidence is up for the second month running. But on the political front, the contrast could scarcely be greater. For a country where politics tends to inch forward in glacial consensus, Germany is showing extraordinary signs of upheaval.

On the right, the ruling Christian Democratic Union headed by Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is seriously contemplating an alliance with the environmentalist Greens in the city of Hamburg. Such a coalition might shock true conservatives, who see the Greens as long-haired revolutionaries. But it shows that Ms Merkel is an instinctive pragmatist, ready to work with conservative elements that have always lurked within the environmentalist movement.