On October 16, 2013, The European Institute convened a luncheon discussion with Jens Hanefeld, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany on the resounding electoral victory earned by Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Christian Democratic Union. Mr. Hanefeld offered his analysis of the major trends revealed by last month’s elections, assessed the on-going quest for a governing coalition and the potential implications of Merkel 3.0 for the European Union and transatlantic relations.