Coalition politics: the highs and lows

Germany faces months of tough negotiations to form a coalition government following the country’s federal election on Sunday. As the intense process of horse-trading and manifesto-trimming gets underway, we examine the strengths and weaknesses of coalition-building. When are coalitions effective? What are the secrets to making one work? And what’s it like to actually negotiate one? Andrew Mueller speaks to Quentin Peel, Françoise Boucek and Sean Kemp.