So far, it is unclear whether they will fully back DaimlerChrysler: although they have in effect washed their hands of Mitsubishi, they might still block reforms such as aggressive job-cutting if they felt these might tarnish the group brand.
It also closed the private Spanish Hospital, a complex that covers an entire city block, after waters rushed into the basement, cutting power and destroying X-ray machines and other diagnostic equipment.
Thus, politicians rarely rouse themselves to do much to help, and when budget-cutting time comes, what little assistance there is often ends up on the block.