New Chancellor

In Germany on Sunday, an era came to an end. The election of the new Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, is more than just a straight change of power.

We still don't know how Kohl's successor plans to govern, but it is clear: he will be the first chancellor who hasn't had to force a change of government in quiet back rooms and via party political cliques.

It gives German democracy a new veneer of normality. For the first time, voters have taken the bull firmly by the horns and opted for what must usually take place in a democracy: change.

A surprisingly large number of Germans have cast aside their usual caution and opted for the new and unknown.

For a country that, because of bitter experience, values the stable continuity of the status quo more than anything else, it's more than remarkable. It borders on a revolution.

-- Tages Anzeiger, Zurich