Photo Gallery Stoiber's Foil
Mid-level Christian Social Union politician Gabriele Pauli is a big reason why Bavarian Governor Edmund Stoiber is heading into retirement this autumn.
Last winter, Pauli began publicly questioning Stoiber's leadership. Instead of ignoring her, the powerful Bavarian decided to have her spied on.
When it went public, the end was near for Stoiber, and the rush to fill the power vacuum was on. Stoiber hand-picked Erwin Huber (right) to succeed him as head of the party, but Horst Seehofer (left) decided to run as well.
Seehofer soon tripped over his marriage infidelities. His affairs were all over the German press this summer, until he returned to his wife -- after his lover bore him a child.
The only one who has managed to stay above the fray is Günther Beckstein, who will likely succeed Stoiber in his other capacity as Bavaria's governor.
Seehofer's candidacy is likely hopeless. But he felt slighted by being kept out of the power wrangling when Stoiber decided in January to step down.
Stoiber has spent much of his time in recent months trying to secure financing for the 1.85 billion magnetic-levitation train he wants to see run from Munich's airport to the city center.
Pauli, meanwhile, has been doing whatever she can to get attention, including poking fun at Stoiber at every opportunity.
Pauli has fallen afoul of her conservative, family-oriented party with provocative photographs and her recent call for marriages to be limited to seven years.
