Germany has traditionally opted for ‘narrow tents’ of special interests. The recent emergence of the Greens, the Left, and now the Pirates is a good illustration. Doubtless, in America the equivalent electorates also exist. Yet the more conservative body politic here views such splintering as more disruptive to transmission of political choices than having no parties at all. ‘Big tent’ politics of the U.S. is messy, fraught with loud, shrieking campaigns, and punctuated by sharp personal attacks to stake out territories amenable to very diverse electorates.

Both visions of politics have worked well to sustain democracy and accountability; one is no better than the other in that respect. I think, ultimately voters must feel comfortable that their political choices get heard, transmitted to elected officials, and transformed into policy.

The big difference between Germany and America lies in external constraints. German politics faces limits to sovereignty imposed by the EU that are foreign to the U.S. Even from a Canadian point of view (a better analogy to Germany’s “big brother EU”), the electoral process in the United States poses little immediate translation to domestic legislative prerogatives, fiscal choices or even foreign policy. Therein lies the crux of Germany’s (and Europe’s) current malaise: domestic electorates embrace the EU and Europe only as auxiliary political and economic constructs. All the same, they (the electorates) are not ready (yet) to submit to higher political authority beyond their domestic jurisdictions.

This bodes ill for a quick resolution to the Eurozone crisis. The decisions will have to be political and they will have to lie at a pan-European level. The politicians may ultimate become willing to shift gears and embrace federal solutions. Unfortunately, their multicultural, multiethnic, and multilingual base may not follow suit. We ought to brace ourselves for major political upheavals ahead. The political crisis in the EU is next.