Germany in political chaos

[RonOnGuitar]

Looks like the German voters can't decide between keeping Schröders' "dream world utopia" economic disaster or if they should try out the real world with Angela Merkel running things instead!

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German election ends in deadlock



By Bertrand Benoit in Berlin



Published: September 18 2005 11:57 | Last updated: September 18 2005 22:17



Germany slid into political chaos on Sunday night as the election produced a hung parliament, with both chancellor Gerhard Schröder and his challenger Angela Merkel claiming victory and the right to form a new government.





The result is unprecedented in German post-war history and caused bafflement in Berlin as Ms Merkel, who seemed set for an easy win just weeks ago, was left claiming a pyrrhic victory after an uninspiring and gaffe-ridden campaign.



In contrast, although the result was less than glorious for Mr Schröder's Social Democratic Party, he defied unanimous predictions that he would be out of a job by Monday.



The latest results gave Ms Merkel's Christian Democratic Union 35.2 per cent of the votes, a 0.9 percentage point lead over Mr Schröder but her party clearly failed to win a majority for its preferred coalition with the liberal Free Democratic Party.



But in spite of the CDU's poor performance its second worst result at a general election Ms Merkel still appeared likely to become chancellor, though she might have to govern with the rival SPD in the first “grand coalition” since 1966.



Economists said such a coalition would make it difficult for Europe's largest economy to adopt the structural reforms needed to overcome stagnation and record unemployment.



The confused result is bound to cause consternation in London, which had hoped a solid Merkel majority would give a new push for economic reform in Europe, and in Washington, which had banked on a change of government to help mend the damaged relationship with Berlin.



“We face the difficult task of building a government,” Ms Merkel said. “But we will throw all our strengths at it because we must go down a path of reforms.” Mr Schröder's gamble in calling the election a year early clearly misfired, as his Social Democratic Party won 34.3 per cent, its worst result since 1990.



Yet a jubilant chancellor refused to concede defeat on Sunday, attacking journalists and pollsters who had predicted a landslide CDU victory and promising his supporters at the party's Berlin headquarters “a stable government for the next four years under my leadership”.



Although the vote gave a theoretical majority to the three parties of the left SPD, Greens and the neo-Communist Left Party Mr Schröder ruled out governing with the latter.



Mr Schröder and Ms Merkel are now expected to hold parallel talks with the FDP and the Greens aimed at forming either a three-way “Jamaica” coalition of CDU, FDP and Greens, or a “traffic light” cabinet of SPD, FDP, and Greens, named after the party colours.



However, the leadership of the FDP, which scored its best result in 15 years with 9.8 per cent to the Greens' 8.1 per cent, unanimously rejected ruling with the SPD on Sunday.



Analysts said the most likely outcome remained a grand coalition under Ms Merkel, if the CDU retains the largest number of seats in the house after the final count. But it could take days, if not weeks, for both parties to exhaust other options.



One executive at carmaker BMW said: “This is exactly what the country didn't need a long period of uncertainty and negotiations. We will all be losers.”



Nikolaus Schweickart, chief executive of Altana, the pharmaceutical and chemical group, declared: “This election result is a disaster for German business, in the short term and in the long term. A grand coalition seems to be very likely because there is no other realistic alternative. But a grand coalition means deadlock.”



Observers said the inconclusive result was likely to hit the euro and financial markets. The German stock market had rallied strongly in the run-up to the election on hopes that the Christian Democrats would win and form a coalition with the FDP.



In early Asian trading this morning, the euro fell to $1.2172 against the dollar, from $1.2233 in New York late on Friday.



Additional reporting by Richard Milne in Berlin

[Galmin]

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Looks like the German voters can't decide between keeping Schröders' "dream world utopia" economic disaster or if they should try out the real world with Angela Merkel running things instead!

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It's called democracy. You should try it.

[DreamTone7]

After you, Galmin. ;p

[Galmin]

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Nikolaus Schweickart, chief executive of Altana, the pharmaceutical and chemical group, declared: “This election result is a disaster for German business, in the short term and in the long term. A grand coalition seems to be very likely because there is no other realistic alternative. But a grand coalition means deadlock.”

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Actually a grand coalition means a strong government with the ability to get all its policy through without having to risk their policy being shot down by a opposition stalling just to be against (Like the CDU/CSU did the last three years. Contra on principle disregarding the policy.). A strong government means stability and economic prosperity (unless it turns a record surplus into a record deficit, but noone is that stupid, right?).

[Galmin]

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The latest results gave Ms Merkel's Christian Democratic Union 35.2 per cent of the votes, a 0.9 percentage point lead over Mr Schröder but her party clearly failed to win a majority for its preferred coalition with the liberal Free Democratic Party.

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It seems Bertrand Benoit need a crash-course in German politics. CDU didn't get 35,2 per cent of the votes, the 'fraktion' (a coalition between CDU, the Christian Democratic Union and the CSU, the Christian Social Union) CDU/CSU got 35,2 per cent of the votes. Sheesh.



For CDU alone to get 35,2 per cent in this election, the CSU would have had to be taken up in the CDU prior the election. The CSU would be no more.

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Economists said such a coalition would make it difficult for Europe's largest economy to adopt the structural reforms needed to overcome stagnation and record unemployment.

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What bleeding morons of "economists" said that? A strong government with about 70% of the votes would have difficulties boxing any kind of needed policy through?

[MIKE BURN]

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Merkel to become German chancellor



Monday, October 10, 2005 Posted: 1455 GMT (2255 HKT)



BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Conservative leader Angela Merkel says she will become Germany's first woman chancellor under a deal with Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats.



The deal, which ends Schroeder's seven years in office, breaks a three-week deadlock that started when voters gave Merkel's conservatives a narrow victory but not the majority needed to form a center-right government.



Instead, the two leaders' parties will form a "grand coalition" that bridges the country's right-left split.

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[Galmin]

I made a bet some months ago regarding what would happen in the German election, meaningly that the WASG/PDS would get so much votes, close to 10%, that none of the two big parties would get the majority with the help of their sattelite parties and the only possible outcome would be a grand coalition (CDU/CSU + SPD). I expect my friends at the loosing-the-bet end to deliver a 25ltr Kilkenny casket each anytime soon.

Edited by: Galmin  at: 10/12/05 14:17

[Galmin]

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Looks like the German voters can't decide between keeping Schröders' "dream world utopia" economic disaster or if they should try out the real world with Angela Merkel running things instead!

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I got another prediction: Schröders 'Agenda 2010'-reform will be carried on, this time with the only difference that the CDU/CSU will not block every part of reform in a "sheer contra"-policy so they can sell it as 'their own' once in power. Too bad that SPD seems to be an equal coalition partner.



So much for 'Schröders' "dream world utopia"' vs 'the real world with Angela Merkel'.



How's the weather in Ignorantia, Ron?