Not much in Germany suggests that a decisive election is looming close. The occasional poster has sprung up and the campaign is finally in full swing, but if you speak to people in the street most seem unfazed by the prospect of having to cast their vote in just a few weeks.

Given the importance of the election - not only for Germany but for all of Europe - this is a rather surprising situation. Anticipation? Nervous excitement? Nail-biting suspense? No chance.

Maybe it's because the likely outcome of the election is already settled.

With less than a month to go, Angela Merkel has a firm grip on the chancellery; her party, the Christian Democrats (CDU), are consistently polling at 38 to 40 percent.

Her main opponent, the Social Democrats's Martin Schulz lags far behind. Once seen as the man who could kick Merkel off the throne, the former President of the European Parliament now has to explain...