Germany’s new electoral landscape promises upheaval for companies as well as politicians. Chancellor Angela Merkel faces tricky coalition negotiations after Sunday’s inconclusive elections. Organising a parliamentary majority requires simultaneous support from the pro-business Free Democrats and the Greens. The environmental party’s inclusion would be good news for Germany’s emission-reduction ambitions, but may hurt carbon-guzzling utilities and automakers. Merkel may have persuaded leaders of other rich countries to agree two years ago to phase out fossil fuels by the end of the century but has failed to do enough of her own homework. Germany pledged to cut carbon emissions by 40

Like a cinematic vision of Frankenstein’s monster, German utilities RWE and E.ON have just been given a reviving jolt of electricity. The country’s top court ruled on Wednesday that they can reclaim their payments of a nuclear fuel tax to the tune of more than 6 billion euros. Thus re-animated, they can now start looking for a mate. German power companies have scored two strikes against Chancellor Angela Merkel’s energy policy in the past six months. In December, the court ruled they should be compensated for Germany’s abrupt decision to shut down nuclear power plants after the Fukushima disaster in 2011. Now