《中英對照讀新聞》In German politics, image isn't everything now
在德國政壇，如今形象並不是一切

◎張沛元

In two successive state elections this year, lacklustre conservative candidates who many Germans considered political lightweights won victories over respected rivals on the left.

在今年連續兩場州級選舉中，幾名不顯眼、被許多德國人視為政壇小角色的保守派候選人，卻擊敗備受敬重的左派對手，贏得勝利。

Now Angela Merkel, the dour, unadorned leader of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU), is tipped to oust Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in a parliamentary election set for mid-September.

如今，德國基督教民主黨冷峻又樸素的女主席安琪拉•梅克爾，可望在訂九月中旬舉行的國會大選中，擊敗總理吉哈德•施若德。

“This is not shaping up as an election where people will vote their gut or with their heart,” said Axel Wallraenstein, a communications advisor who worked for former Chancellor Helmut Kohl. “The usual theatre will play only a minor role.”

「這並不是一場民眾根據情感或內心感受投票的選舉，」曾為前總理柯爾工作的傳播顧問艾克希爾•瓦倫恩斯坦說。「一般選戰關注的戰場將只會扮演小角色。」

Analysts say many Germans have simply grown fed up with the politicians who have presided over the downward spiral of Europe's largest economy, and want change at any cost.

分析家表示，許多德國人實在受夠了那些在歐洲最大經濟體（指德國）持續走下坡時在位的政治人物，無論如何都要政壇出現改變。

Dictionary-新聞辭典

lightweight：名詞，輕量級，原為運動用語，此處被借用來形容政壇人士的重要性。另外，heavyweight，重量級，也常被用來形容政壇的重要人士。

theatre：名詞，戲院，重大事件發生場所。theater of war，戰區，故「戰區飛彈防禦系統」即為 Theater Missile Defense System。

be fed up：被餵飽，引申「受夠了」的意思。fed 為 feed（動詞，飼養，使滿足）的過去式與過去分詞。

at any cost：不惜任何代價，另一種說法為 at all costs。例句：We will win this game at any cost.（我們會不惜任何代價贏得這場比賽。）