Elections elections

The polls are open today for the people of Schleswig Holstein. British Statesman Lord Palmerston is reported to have said 'Only three people have ever understood the Schleswig Holstein business: the Prince Consort, who is dead, a German professor, who has gone mad, and I, who have forgotten all about it.'

A bit simpler this time and the vote may cause some minor headache for Mrs Merkel's coalition, but not as much as the other two votes today, in France and Greece.

Hollande still seems the favourite in France and has vowed to overturn the fiscal pact. Whilst in practice he is unlikely to be so revolutionary, there will be trouble, no doubt about it.

In Greece people are flocking away from the two traditional parties, neither of whom is likely to gain any kind of majority. Together they might have enough votes, but they are, we had thought, opposed to each other. Probably one of those occasions where fundamental beliefs come second to keeping power.

By the end of today there will not have been a revolution in Europe but the political map will have altered and the ruling class will have got the jitters.