The early federal elections in 2005 significantly changed the political balance of power in parliament and government, as well as the landscape of German political parties. For the first time in a long while, government changes, governance style, and political renewal were under special media scrutiny and heightened public expectations. It seemed that the Great Coalition's fresh start had been postponed until after the state elections in March 2006. This volume examines the political upheaval phase at the federal and state levels, as well as the initial steps of the reform policies of the new federal government from the perspectives of governance, parliamentary studies, party research, and campaign studies.