Germany: the formation of a government | DW Documentary

Never before have German voters had to wait so long for the formation of a new government. After months of political uncertainty, what is the solution?
"In the Labyrinth of Power" is the story of the problematic formation of the next German government. But Angela Merkel's path toward a fourth term as German chancellor has been full of twists and turns, acrimony and a spectacular resignation. Months of negotiations without a definitive breakthrough caused considerable consternation among the political classes in Berlin. Party identities were questioned, and personal relationships fell apart amidst the tangle of party and individual interests. Meanwhile many ordinary Germans began asking whether the politicians were no longer able to reach agreement for the good of the country. Filmmaker Stephan Lamby spent months following this extraordinary situation up-close and interviewed many of the main negotiators in the various efforts to form a stable governing coalition as well as some of the principle movers and shakers in German politics. The result is a vivid portrait of why the September 2017 election led to such an impasse and how politicians tried to get beyond it.