LONDON -- The near-tie in the Sept. 18 German poll, in which Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder came from 13 percentage points behind conservative challenger Angela Merkel in late August to less than one point behind her by election day, has thrown German politics into turmoil.
One thing is clear: The door through which Turkey hopes to enter the European Union, which Merkel had promised to slam shut, is still open. Entry negotiations begin Oct. 3, and Turkey is still a candidate for full membership.
Merkel launched a high-profile campaign last month to block Turkey's entry into the European Union, sending letters to EU leaders in other countries asking them to offer Turkey not full membership but only "privileged partnership."