I do not expect any vote.

[Increasingly jittery conservative politicians warned yesterday that a left-right coalition - last tried in Germany in the late 1960s with mixed results - would be a disaster.] Such a coalition would be bad for the economy, and for democracy and the parties, ... It would strengthen the extreme left and the extreme right. We can't want that.

There's no question the '68 generation has achieved a lot .... But they have gone too far with their anti-authoritarian views, such as on the family or education. They have thrown out the baby with the bath water. We want to use state institutions, not constantly put them in question.

There is a good relationship between our agriculture ministers and there are many possibilities for co-operation in this field.

Such a coalition would be bad for the economy, and for democracy and the parties. It would strengthen the extreme left and the extreme right. We can't want that.

We are not going to get ourselves pushed into a debate about the leadership.

It's a ridiculous idea, ... We won't to agree to a 'grand coalition' at any price.

We need a big debate on whether it is responsible to end nuclear power - I am convinced it is not.

We need a basic contract about the cooperation between Volkswagen and Porsche. It's about avoiding conflicts of interest.