We made it clear we want to govern with Schroeder as chancellor,

It is possible that we can still do it, that Gerhard Schroeder can be chancellor again.

It is clear that Germans do not want Mrs. Merkel as their chancellor.

We don't dispute that unified parliamentary groups can exist, but it must be clear that coalition talks are conducted by individual parties.

However secure the common faction may be, it must also be clear that coalition talks are led by parties ... and that that has consequences.

Basically what it boils down to is whether Angela Merkel detaches the Greens from Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder into a coalition with her and the Free Democrats, or whether Chancellor Schroeder detaches the Free Democrats from Angela Merkel's side.