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Simon Tilford of the Centre for European Reform believes so. He has noted that the EU and the US have been quarrelling about state support for Boeing and Airbus (the giant European aircraft manufacturer) for several decades but that this has never resulted in US tariffs on Airbus imports.

Schaeuble spent 130 billion euros less than would have been allowed under the constitution's debt rules, according to Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform. That frugality may however leave a successor more room to loosen fiscal policy, either through tax cuts or more spending, or both, he said.

«Difficile vedere la differenza tra centro destra e centro sinistra, in Germania i due partiti sono oramai indistinguibili», ha sottolineato a caldo Simon Tilford, vice direttore del Centre for European Reform di Londra: «Come del resto in altri grandi Paesi europei». A proposito d'Europa: nessuno più del presidente francese Emmanuel Macron avrà sofferto nel vedere i risultati delle elezioni tedesche. Il suo grande piano di riforma dell'Unione europea si basa innanzitutto su una profonda e sincera alleanza tra la sua Francia e una Germania libera dall'incubo elezioni, di nuovo saldamente in mano alla Cancelliera.

The EU and single market are a “core national interest” for Germany, “essential to its stability, security and prosperity”, said Christian Odendahl of the Centre for European Reform. All major parties and most voters bar the 13% who cast their ballots for the anti-immigrant AfD want more EU cooperation, not less.

Christian Odendahl, the senior economist at the Centre for European Reform in Berlin, said that there was still a "fundamental difference" in view between France and Germany, which is demanding that any burden-sharing must be accompanied by measures to tighten control over national fiscal policies."I don’t think his eurozone reforms will go very far now," Mr Odendahl predicted. "Macron will be be disappointed."

Sophia Besch, research fellow at the CER, said the German elections will not affect the outcome of Brexit because all the parties share a similar stance. She said: "All major German parties want to maintain close economic and political ties to Britain post-Brexit, and limit the economic fallout. "But Germans are also adamant that there will be no cherry-picking by the British after Brexit, that means no selective participation in the single market."

Simon Tilford of the Centre for European Reform tweeted: “13.5% for AFD grim, but its high point given refugee inflows falling back? Hopefully SPD result will force it to be more social-democratic.”