ALTERNATIVE PARTIES WIN BIG IN GERMANY: The German election results are yet another example of voters around the world deserting legacy parties. Angela Merkel’s party got the most votes again, but lost 8% support, while her “grand coalition” social democrat allies lost about 5%. Two parties that weren’t in the last Parliament gained close to 25% of the vote – the Alternative for Deutschland, the economic nationalist party, won 13.3%, and the classical liberal Free Democrats won 11.3%. The regional maps (free registration required) are extremely interesting, with The Left (the neo-communists) losing big to AfD in the old East Germany.

As the Telegraph notes, with the social democrats nixing the idea of another grand coalition, “A three-way “Jamaica” coalition, whereby the CDU is propped up by the the FDP and the Greens – is therefore the only possible majority government for Merkel.” That should be entertaining.