2010/07/04

Merkel on the ropes after presidential humiliation 梅克爾政途因總統選舉不順陷入危機

 ◎俞智敏

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was left licking her wounds after rebels in her coalition turned a routine presidential vote into a damaging debacle that left her bruised and weakened.
德國總理梅克爾不得不休養生息,因為執政聯盟的盟友在原本純屬形式的總統選舉投票中倒戈, 使得這場選舉變成了極具殺傷力的災難,讓梅克爾受到重傷、政治實力也因此被削弱。
It took nine hours and three rounds of voting by a special assembly of MPs and public figures for Merkel’s candidate Christian Wulff to be elected to the largely ceremonial post of head of state.
由德國聯邦議會及社會賢達人士所組成的特別大會花了9小時、進行3 輪投票,才總算選出梅克爾所支持的總統候選人沃爾夫擔任德國的虛位總統。
With Merkel’s coalition holding a majority in the assembly, the election should have been a shoo-in in the first round, but a handful of rebels voted against Wulff in the secret ballot in a blow to the chancellor’s authority.
由於梅克爾所領導的執 政聯盟在議會中佔有多數地位,這場選舉應該在第一輪投票就輕鬆過關,但部份議員卻在秘密投票中跑票,對總理的威信造成嚴重打擊。
Following embarrassing and dramatic first two rounds, the nail-biting third became in effect a battle for the political future of Merkel, four times named the world’s most powerful woman by Forbes Magazine.
在場面尷尬且 戲劇性的前兩輪投票後,令人緊張的第3輪投票實際上已演變成梅克爾個人的政治前途保衛戰,她曾4度被「富比世」雜誌選為全球最有權勢的女性。
The stakes for Merkel could hardly have been higher. A recent poll in Bild showed that 48 percent of Germans wanted her to throw in the towel if her man did not get elected.
對梅克爾而言,這場選舉的賭注可說是高到不能再高。據「畫報」最近進行的民調 顯示,假如梅克爾支持的候選人未能獲選為總統,48%的德國民眾希望她乾脆認輸下台。
新 聞辭典
on the ropes:片語,指表現不佳、極可能失敗,如His political career is on the ropes.(他的政治生涯岌岌可危。)
lick one’s wounds:片語,指失敗後的休養生息、養精蓄銳,如When dogs and other animals are injured, they lick their wounds in order to help them get better.(當狗或其他動物受傷時,牠們會舔拭傷口,好讓自己舒服一點。)或After retiring to lick its wounds, the party is regaining its confidence.(歷經一段時間養精蓄銳後,該政黨又重拾信心。)
shoo-in:名詞,(口語用法),指十拿九穩的勝利者、不二 人選,如She’s a shoo-in for re-election to the Senate.(她競選連任參議員可望篤定勝選。)

No comments: