GERMANY's dumping of Helmut Kohl after 16 years in power in favour of the centre-Left may be seen as a move by its voters towards a Blair-style government, but Labour may see a warning in this switch and the Tories a ray of hope.
For while economic muddle and rising unemployment may have cost Kohl his crown, so, too, might his obsession with Europe and his determination to replace the Mark with the euro.
Analysts may read into this result a backlash at the erosion of German's sovereignty, particularly so soon after it had been restored by reunification.
Labour may need to take care about plans that would hand over more UK power to Europe -- and the Tories may be encouraged to go on the anti-EU offensive even more.
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