Angela Merkel triumphant, but at a price

Her reaction was oddly subdued, considering that Merkel is breaking the mould of German politics.

Not only will she be the country's first woman chancellor, she will also be the first leader to have grown up in communist East Germany.

But Merkel had to be pushed by journalists to admit that she was pleased at the agreement with the Social Democrats.

"I'm in a good mood," she said, "but I know that there is a lot of work ahead."

Some observers put this down to Merkel's Protestant work ethic.

But it is more likely a reflection of the intensely difficult negotiations of the past three weeks and the prospect of more to come.

The two parties - which until recently were bitter rivals - don't trust each other.

"Germany needs reform," the CDU MP Michael Fuchs told me. "I hope the SPD understands that too."