The German government's first 100 days in office this week provides a conventional occasion to judge its performance, which has not been resisted by his political opponents or the media. It is too early to make definitive judgements on the coalition of Social Democrats and Greens led by Gerhard Schroder, given the substantial change of style and policy involved after the 18 years of Dr Helmut Kohl's Christian Democratic chancellorship. But it has been striking how media and popular evaluations have diverged, with the former sceptical about disorganisation and supposedly antagonised allies, alongside opinion polls showing growing satisfaction with the government. This weekend's elections in Hesse will indicate whether the editorial dissatisfaction extends to the citizens at large. The electorate did after all vote for a definite change last September; as usual in German elections caution and continuity marked the campaign - but the result was more adventurous. The key question, therefore, is whether the new government has begun to deliver on its commitments; the evidence is that on reforms such as reducing prescription charges and restoring sickness benefits cut by the last government it has done so. Even though such policies as abandoning nuclear power, abandoning NATO's nuclear first-strike option, or reducing Germany's EU contributions have antagonised several of its allies, they cannot deny they were signalled during the campaign. After the long years of Dr Kohl's rule, Mr Schroder has adopted a different style of leadership. It is at once more consensual and more presidential than his predecessor. Mr Schroder does not mind appearing to lead from behind, nor has he minded giving himself time to work out a modus vivendi with his coalition partners or allowing the public to hear him think aloud about how best to do that. But he has also moved effectively to assert his own leadership role, notably on nuclear power, where he reversed an earlier decision to press ahead rapidly to phase it out. It will take some time to perfect this style, but so far it has not antagonised the population at large.
Internationally, too, the new government has as much set new agendas as antagonised its allies. There has been real continuity in its basic European integration policy from the Kohl years, albeit with important changes of emphasis on Germany's net contribution to the budget, on tax competition and on the timing of eastern enlargement. Germany's current EU presidency has as its main task completion of the Agenda 2000 negotiations on budgets, structural funds and CAP reform. As is clear from Mr Franz Fischler's address to the Irish Farmers' Association conference in Dublin yesterday, this poses a major challenge to the Government; but it would be well advised not to misjudge the German determination to achieve its objectives.
The finance minister, Mr Oskar Lafontaine, has brought much political weight and fresh ideas to international economic policy. They have been given added impetus by global uncertainties, which make them look more plausible than appeared possible when first articulated. This is, therefore, a government for the long haul, which would be better judged after 100 weeks than 100 days.