in an eclipse come callandar machall got the successor party leader she wanted a k.-k. as she is known is a much needed ally who will help keep merkel's in the party critics at bay. but the political comeback of merkel's former rival free to fish mats has loosened her hold on the party that aimed to join the magical cabinet has been rebuffed for now but many back his claim to power a direct threat to america. europe's crunch time elections in may could also be a turning point for the stability of germany's government. if angela merkel's coalition partner the social democrats take yet another beating at the polls they may see no other way forward than withdrawing from the government that would most likely end up going to americans time as chancellor. those polls are expected to see a further rise of the populist right across europe an angle americal is set to feel those effects back home. here in germany the f.t. publicly closed ranks with the rightwing extremist during street protests in the eastern city of kenneth's last summer united by a determination to end the magi