Stoiber has voiced anti-immigration views - but some observers doubt his willingness radically to reform Germany's protective labour laws and other economic rigidities.

BBC: Portugal continues centre-right trend

What separates the big spenders from the improvers, McKinsey found, is the awareness that different types of school system respond to radically different types of reform.

ECONOMIST: Overhauling schools

"What we are looking at is the government making investment in social care, backing radical reform - not just tinkering at the edges... radically reforming care to give people the opportunity to save for their retirement and prepare for their retirement, " she added.

BBC: Social care reform: No half-measures, campaigners urge