41.  By August the new ruling coalition had fractured, with one faction, withdrawing to heights to the south of the city, bombarding it with indiscriminate artillery fire.

42.  But within that description lies the hint that other parties now have recognized the difficulties of realistic compromise because they were part of the ruling coalition at some time.

43.  Deputies from the ruling coalition that controls the National Assembly gave Juppe a standing ovation.

44.  Despite the vote, many political experts believe that the Greens are not likely to remain in the ruling coalition after general elections next fall.

45.  Earlier this week, the parties that came in first and third said efforts to rebuild their longtime ruling coalition had collapsed after three months of talks.

46.  Economics Minister Guenter Rexrodt has proposed that the Federal Cartel Office take on the job, and the ruling coalition is due to discuss the issue this week.

47.  Elections in three German states Sunday set yet another endurance test for the struggling Free Democratic Party and the ruling coalition to which it belongs.

48.  Even so, the ruling coalition, of which it is part, kept a slim majority.

49.  For example, because the ruling coalition in parliament is in such disarray, little legislation has passed in the last seven months.

50.  For his part, Kabila said he was sure he would prove able to hammer together a ruling coalition just as he has succeeded on the battlefield.