And though it cut a handful of jobs right after the merger, headcount has increased by more than 500 people with sales and manufacturing expertise.

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Despite his inexperience, he showed skill in piloting a recent merger of two rival right-of-centre parties, the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives.

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Right now, the effect of today's merger on major drugmakers may be too close to call.

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The right-left divide, a product of the 1988 merger of the Liberal and Social Democratic parties, means the Lib Dems have no clear identity on which to draw when making policy.

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Experts say that, at least right now, the Justice Department is more lenient than the FTC in merger approvals, in part because of the political component of each agency.

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