 |
| Testing the system |
|
| mwiggins (9/20/2006 10:32:36 AM) |
|
|
|
Testing the system to see if this is a possible solution to 'responses to essays' for Jack. Possible solution? TBD
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| A big chance |
|
| mfallet (10/12/2005 4:08:59 AM) |
|
|
|
We got it. Angela Merkel is supposed be the eighth chancellor of Bundesrepublik Deutschland. The first female chancellor, the first from East Germany. Next week the formal negotiations between CDU/CSU and SPD will start, t
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| And the Winner is: Merkel (Again) |
|
| Ulrich Speck (10/10/2005 10:14:24 AM) |
|
|
It’s done. Merkel is in, Schröder is out.
The price for Merkel’s chancellorship is that her program of market oriented reform will not be realized.
The formula in German political discourse is that her “neo-liberalism” (american style) has failed, as CDU/CSU and FDP didn’t get a majority of votes. The policy of “social justice”, on the other hand, has been strengthened. “Social justice” is a code-word for a state who co
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Last minute theories |
|
| Susanne Schulz (10/9/2005 2:15:03 PM) |
|
|
Angela Merkel, Gerhard Schröder, Edmund Stoiber and Franz Müntefering meet today (Sunday) at 8 pm and will keep on talking until tomorrow morning. Further talks that would lead to a decission about the next chancellor will start tomorrow morning at 11 am. Before that, in the wee hours of the morning divers committees of both parties will meet to discuss the intermediate results of the previous night. Now, that decission is delaid a second time, some more rumors and last minute theories occu
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Rumors in Berlin |
|
| mfallet (10/8/2005 5:28:58 PM) |
|
|
|
Sunday evening. Probably then or Monday morning we will know who will be chancellor for the next four years. Still CDU/CSU and SPD are finding out how the land lies. The parties are maintaining silence, and it is said, after the next meeting on Sunday evening Merkel, Stoiber, Schröder and Müntefering will provide the final decision. Then the real coalition negotiations could start. Hope
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Delay of Showdown |
|
| Susanne Schulz (10/7/2005 11:01:19 AM) |
|
|
|
Still the poker goes on, who would be chancellor. But: no decision and not the slightest annotation before sunday about the K-Frage. The most possible solution is that Gerhard Schröder will not stay in office. His claim is just the joker in the game that pushes the price. And the Union (CDU/CSU) has to pay. The SPD tries to get some of the more attractive ministries and already achieved some compromises of political contents. Some SPD members even recommend Schröder as vice-chancellor a
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Rumors and Options |
|
| Ulrich Speck (10/7/2005 6:21:26 AM) |
|
|
After the top meeting of the top politicians - Schröder, Müntefering, Merkel, Stoiber - on Thursday evening, nothing has changed, at least for the public. No public comments about the negotiations.
The talks have to be interrupted, on Sunday they will meet again, it’s said. Why that break? What is more important than the forming of the German government? For what reason the nation has to accept that delay? It’s the birthday of a good old friend of German chancellor, Vladi
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Time to Say Goodbye |
|
| Ulrich Speck (10/5/2005 11:28:17 AM) |
|
|
Today, there was a new round of talks between the top politicians of SPD and CDU/CSU. The result: Both sides declared that they agree on many points. Concerning the question of chancellorship, there will be, very soon ("sehr, sehr zeitnah"), a new round. In this round with only Schröder, Müntefering, Merkel and Stoiber will strike through the Gordian knot, in a way that permits both sides to save its face.
My prediction is the following: The next round will take place on
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Tactical Games: Why Schröder is Retarding his Retreat |
|
| Ulrich Speck (10/3/2005 4:00:44 PM) |
|
|
After the by-election in Dresden has taken place on Sunday, the tactical positioning continues. Schröder does not retreat from his claim to stay in office, even if CDU has won a further mandate in parliament, Bundestag. But he is describing his claim in very different words than he did on the evening of September 18. Since the week after the elections, Schröder is in fact mugged by reality and has accepted that he has not got a new mandate.
In an interview with RTL television, he s
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Confusion takes over |
|
| Susanne Schulz (10/2/2005 10:18:28 AM) |
|
|
|
The past few days irritating news swept through the newspapers. Fraction members of SPD, CDU and CSU express their differing opinions about coalition talks and the chances who would become chancellor. The way Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel verbalize their aims changes and is interpreted in vague ways. Schröders camp now uses the formulation "We wish him to be chancellor" instead of "He must be chancellor". Meanwhile Merkel tries to enrich her speeches with more
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Will DresdenŽs re-election make things clearer? |
|
| mfallet (10/2/2005 9:16:11 AM) |
|
|
|
More and more the support CDU/CSU gave to chancellor candidate Angela Merkel is diminishing. She yet has been scolded for appointing Paul Kirchof as a member of the Competence Team. But now animadversion on MerkelŽs election campaign strategies increases: She was too much concentrating on economic policy instead of social issues, s
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Negotiations and rumors |
|
| mfallet (9/29/2005 4:28:03 PM) |
|
|
|
Yesterday there was a second meeting of CDU/CSU- and SPD-politicians ? they call it probe discussion. It had been a constructive, serious meeting they said afterwards. They talked about matters like the financial situation in Germany and the social security system. But the C-Ques
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| When Maths Trump Rhetoric: Gerhard Schröder is Losing the Game |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/28/2005 4:08:16 AM) |
|
|
Ten days after the German elections, one thing seems to be clear: Schröder will not become chancellor again. In an interview last Sunday he gave up his aggressive stance, saying that what counts are the political issues, not the persons. Early this week he declared that he would do everything in favor of a grand coalition. There are more and more voices in Schröder’s SPD that make clear that his party is not united behind the claim that Schröder should be reelected. Kurt Beck, SPD’s
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Neither Merkel, nor Schröder? |
|
| mfallet (9/24/2005 6:00:54 PM) |
|
|
|
The carousel of candidates for chancellorship is turning on and on. A grand coalition b
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Person or Program? |
|
| Susanne Schulz (9/24/2005 10:56:20 AM) |
|
|
One question repeats itself since weeks and is after the election still vital. Do voters decide because of the program or because of persons? What does this unclear election result mean? Politicians argue one time, that electors have decided about commuters allowance, night shift premium or tax models. Another time they argue, Angela Merkel or Gerhard Schröder have clearly been deselected or Paul Kirchhof had been the problem in voters eyes. This argumentation ignores that the sovereign doe
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Foreign Minister Schily? |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/23/2005 12:26:42 PM) |
|
|
Today, Merkel and Stoiber talked with the Greens. Result: no chance for a “Jamaica”-coalition of CDU, FDP and the Greens. The leftist wing in the Green party is much stronger than the liberal wing; Greens are used to blame “neoliberalism” for “social coldness”. Joschka Fischer today in an interview confessed the “leftist” orientation of the Green party.
So the last chance is - a grand coalition between both big “VolksparteienR
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| A New Chapter: Perspectives for Germany |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/22/2005 7:38:31 AM) |
|
|
German elections in 2005 mark a further step away from old Bundesrepublik, maybe even the final act. Red-Green was the last “project” of old Bundesrepublik - the marriage of working class socialism with the ecological concerns of late industrial society.
The seven years of the red-green coalition are over now. Joschka Fischer, the central figure of that “project”, has set a clear signal on T
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Germany's Political Crisis Has U.S. Roots |
|
| Admin (9/21/2005 1:09:24 PM) |
|
More Information
|
Markus Walker and David Crawford write for the WSJ that Germany"s post election political situation is American made.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Jamaica and Traffic Lights |
|
| Admin (9/21/2005 10:34:15 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Der Spiegel's daily take ponders the Jamaica, Traffic Light, and Grand coalitions.... Hugh Williamson writes for the Financial Times about the Greens refusal to abandon platform for power...
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Standoff after election day |
|
| mfallet (9/20/2005 5:07:14 PM) |
|
|
|
The Germans voted and only some hours later they turn to be dissatisfied with die result. Foreign newspapers wrote, the electorate produced nothing else but chaos. That?s right.
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Who Will Get His Knife Out? |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/20/2005 7:35:21 AM) |
|
|
On day two after the elections, the situation has not changed: No coalition in sight. All the scenarios that are possible seem to be blocked. The party leaders have made clear statements that rule out a stable government. Nobody seems to be prepared to make a move.
At least not on the top level, at least not in public. We can only speculate on what happens inside the parties, and we can be sure that many politicians in the second row are working on alternative scenarios - scenarios
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Which Way Now? |
|
| tvstein (9/20/2005 2:12:04 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Andreas Cremer, Bloomberg online, writes that the Dresden vote will not likely alter the election result... Richard Bernstein and Judy Dempsey, NY Times, write about the hardening deadlock... The BBC reports on Merkel's request for her party's vote of confidence (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Mess |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/19/2005 1:40:28 PM) |
|
|
On the day after the elections, there is not very much that is clear in German politics. Everybody is completely confused - political leaders, political commentators alike. Or even shocked. That’s unusual for a country that hates nothing more than insecurity, especially when it comes to the future.
Let’s try to get some facts straight. We had elections, but not a result, at least not a clear one. Both, Schröder as well as Merkel, have not mandate, at least not with thei
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| What color has my coalition? |
|
| mfallet (9/19/2005 8:06:28 AM) |
|
|
Tomorrow evening, 6 pm, the first extrapolations are going to be published. Normally politicians stop campaigning on Friday before election Sunday. But this time the top candidates want to fight for the votes of the indecisive until 5.59 pm. Still it is unclear who is going to make it. There are several options of a future governing coalition: black-yellow (CDU/CSU and FDP) ? which is as likely as a grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD with Merkel as chancellor. Red-green, this is quite sure, wonŽ
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| And the winner is ... |
|
| sschulz (9/19/2005 1:31:55 AM) |
|
|
|
And the winner is ... well, there is none. Although, the results are clear: CDU/CSU are the strongest fraction in the new Bundestag with 35,2 percent. But together with their dream coalition partner FDP, who really gained in this election (9,8 %) Merkel cannot get the necessary majority to become chancellor. In addition to that, Gerhard Schörders SPD won competing 34,2 percent. But his dream coalition partner, the Greens, just gained 8,1 percent. The result is: The SPD has lost a lot (-
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| ELECTION LIMBO |
|
| ADMIN (9/19/2005 1:26:15 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Clair Murphy writes for the BBC Online on the election outcome: "The Worst of All Worlds" ... Craig Whitlock writes for the Washington Post on divided German voters... Carsten Volkery of Der Spiegel (English) writes about the (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The interim result |
|
| sschulz (9/18/2005 10:24:55 AM) |
|
|
|
Today at about 6 pm european time, the first results will be released, the first discussions about wether a grand coalition is possible or not will start. But the result won't be the final one. In Dresden, capital citiy of saxony, 219.000 voters are barred from the election. One candidate, Kerstin Lorenz, of the right-wing extremist party NPD (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands) has died. Now all ballot papers in the electoral district Dresden 1 have to be exchanged, which will take at
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Socialdemocrats and the weather |
|
| mfallet (9/17/2005 3:43:31 PM) |
|
|
|
Tomorrow evening, 6 pm, the first extrapolations are going to be published. Normally politicians stop campaigning on Friday before election Sunday. But this time the top candidates want to fight until 5.59 pm. About 20 percent of the electorate are supposed to be inecisive. Still it is unclear who is going to make it. (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| What do German Voters Think |
|
| Admin (9/16/2005 3:24:54 PM) |
|
More Information
|
|
BBC up close: view of four German voters. Oliver Bradely writes for the European Jewish Press: Elections views of the German Jewish community.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| A troubled campaigner |
|
| Admin (9/16/2005 8:02:17 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Mark Landler from the New York Times on the last campaign events before the election (9/16/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Who wants to rule? |
|
| Admin (9/15/2005 5:26:30 PM) |
|
More Information
|
As Mareike has pointed out, no one knows what is going to happen - more thoughts from Michael Scott Moore from the SPIEGEL
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Re-election after the re-election? |
|
| mfallet (9/15/2005 4:24:56 PM) |
|
|
|
People are dissatisfied. The unemployment rate is high. Economy is in a depression. But the Majority of Germans - 51 percent - doesn't feel that a change of government would be the
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| What's in the press |
|
| Admin (9/14/2005 3:57:20 PM) |
|
|
Michael Scott Moore from the SPIEGEL (9/14/05) and Judy Dempsey from the New York Times (9/15/05 again on Angela Merkel the unknown soon to be best-known woman of Germany (that's what she hopes). (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Last Act Begins |
|
| wboston (9/14/2005 12:38:40 PM) |
|
|
|
As the German election campaign opens its final act, the distinct sound of grinding knives seems to be gathering pace just off stage. In the past few days, Angela Merkel seems to have lost what little control she held over her party. Her shadow finance minister Paul Kirchhof is clearly a liability and costing the party votes. For Merkel to dump Kirchhof now would be political suicid
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Nothing Left to Lose: Lucky Schröder and Angry Joschka |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/13/2005 4:51:42 AM) |
|
|
Five days left. Two scenarios do look most likely: A victory of CDU/CSU and FDP who want to form a coalition, or a a grand coalition. The new leftist party, led by Gregor Gysi (former PDS, former SED, the “party” that has ruled in the Eastern Germany before 1989) and by Oskar Lafontaine (former head of SPD, former candidate for chancellorship) and the Greens (led by Joschka Fischer) will, as far as one can see now, not be part of a governing coalition. But - this is a time of surpr
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| No grand coalition |
|
| mfallet (9/12/2005 5:14:15 PM) |
|
|
|
Six days left till election day. Still some Germans are undecisive, but polls are shifting. SPD gains points, CDU/CSU loses. Within the last days the challenging politicians say, that the one and only pol
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Merkel and the economy |
|
| admin (9/12/2005 8:53:24 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Peter Gumbel from Time Magazine examins the effects of Merkel's proposed economic reforms - and also takes a sidekick at Kirchhof (9/11/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The end of a visionary |
|
| admin (9/12/2005 8:49:09 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Obviously nobody in the CDU/CSU or the FDP does like Kirchhof's ideas any more. Tony Patterson form The Independent reports from Berlin (9/12/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Kirchhof the miracle weapon firing backwards? |
|
| admin (9/12/2005 8:38:51 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Betrand Benoit and Hugh Williamson from the Financial Times France report on the latest shifts in the polls, Kirchhof and Merkel's struggle to keep her team together (9/11/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Still the East |
|
| admin (9/12/2005 8:34:21 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Stefan Berg, Steffen Winter and Andreas Wassermann of Spiegel online report on the situation in the East and its impact on the campaign (9/5/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Time for a change? |
|
| Admin (9/12/2005 8:31:07 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Charles Hodson of CNN goes on a journey through Germany, to hear what voters think. Today: Hamburg (9/11/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The economy |
|
| Admin (9/12/2005 8:27:57 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The TimesonlineUK's Michael Woodhead examines the Pros and Cons of another era 'Schroeder' for the economy (9/11/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Fighting for one big group of voters |
|
| admin (9/12/2005 8:24:05 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Bloomberg's Claudia Rach reports on the most feared group of voters, the "Don't knows" (9/11/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Everybody is waiting for the "Wirtschaftswunder" |
|
| Admin (9/12/2005 8:22:14 AM) |
|
More Information
|
suggests the New York Times in an article (UIP) published on Sept 11.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Four More Years with Schroder? |
|
| wboston (9/11/2005 12:52:03 PM) |
|
|
|
With the polls shifting, a three-way coalition of SPD, Greens and the FDP is beginning to look like a serious option. Should the math work out this way on election night, it is all but certain that Schroder and Fischer would reach out to Guido Westerwelle and try to find enough common ground to form a government. Sigmar Gabriel, former SPD governor of Lo
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Lost in Economics: The Language of the Campaign |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/10/2005 11:46:05 AM) |
|
|
The choice German voters have now is between fear and fear. With Schröder, the prospect is that nothing will change - that we only will have some more years (one, two, three?) of internal fight and therefore blockade between socialist and market-oriented forces on the left. To vote for Schröder means to vote for the maintenance of the status quo. But people know that maintaining the status quo means worsening the situation, as Germany needs - most people agree - major changes to maintain the l
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| SPD Comeback? |
|
| wboston (9/9/2005 4:41:40 PM) |
|
|
|
Believe it or not, Gerhard Schroder is beginning to look like a contender again. The polls are shifting so fast that even German media, such as today?s Spiegel Online, are beginning to entertain the possibility that the SPD could not only force the CDU into a grand coalition, but that Schroder may actually pull off another surprise victory. According to SPD officials, the logic behind the jump
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Schroeder and Hamburg's not so gay mayor Ole von Beust |
|
| admin (9/9/2005 11:28:08 AM) |
|
More Information
|
SPIEGEL online quotes from interviews with Schroeder and Ole von Beust respectively(Hamburg's not-as-gay-as-Wowereit mayor) on winning the elections, CDU and homosexuality (9/9/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Oil and the Germans |
|
| Admin (9/9/2005 10:06:23 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Stefan Nicola from monstersandcritics comments on the fact that energy issues are suddely introduced to the campaign (9/8/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Burgers instead of Baguettes? |
|
| Admin (9/9/2005 10:03:05 AM) |
|
More Information
|
William Horsley from the BCC worldlwide reports on the changes that a CDU?CSU government would mean for Europe (9/8/05). Closer ties with the US, breaking the axis Berlin - Paris.....
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Japan, Norway and Germany |
|
| Admin (9/9/2005 10:00:41 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Mattias Svenson from FXStreet reports on the upcoming elections in Japan, Norway and Germany (9/8/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Transatlantic DNA |
|
| Admin (9/9/2005 9:41:43 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Angela Merkel will be better for the Transatlantic Relationships, it's in her DNA - Daniel McHugh from the Seattle Post Intellegencer reports (9/8/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Great Gambler: Gerhard Schröder's Campaign |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/9/2005 3:33:27 AM) |
|
|
On September 18, German voters will elect political parties, not the chancellor. If they had to vote for a chancellor, the result would be clear: According to the polls, Gerhard Schröder would celebrate a triumph, he might get more than half of the votes, while Merkel might get a third.
All political observers agree that Schröder is, in the current campaign, even better than he ever was. And he was always a brilliant campaigner; this was the ticket that brought him on the top of SPD.
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The role of the Trade Unions |
|
| Susanne Schulz (9/8/2005 1:04:07 PM) |
|
|
Since Schröder introduced the harsh social reform program Hartz IV, the relationship between the Trade Unions and the Social Democrats has chilled. During the demonstrations against Hartz IV, there was even a time of total silence between them. Although contact has been restored, it has not become as cordial as it used to be. And although most of the Trade Unionists are members of the SPD, for this year, there will be no recommendations in favour of the SPD. Usually, the Trade Unions recommend v
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| She's your guy.... |
|
| Admin (9/8/2005 8:55:40 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
.....and stocks are high (Diamonds are a girl's best friends) The financial markets will react positively, predicts Forbes in case the CDU wins (9/8/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Attacks on Merkel |
|
| Admin (9/8/2005 8:50:32 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Bertrand Benoit and Hugh Williamson from Financial Times UK (9/8/05) comment on Schroeder's recent attacks.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Woman without feminism |
|
| Admin (9/8/2005 8:47:18 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Jody K Biehl reports in SPIEGEL Online about the impacts and non-impacts, a new female chancellor will have (9/7/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Reports from the CDU/CSU party congress |
|
| Admin (9/8/2005 8:45:21 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Ulrich Rippert from the World Socialist Website is - he has to - disgusted with the CDU/CSU's party congress (9/7/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| What does a new government mean for the Jewish community |
|
| Admin (9/8/2005 8:39:54 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Trine Shaaf from the Jerusalem Post (9/7/050 reports (in a strangely Umlaut-free text).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Speculations about a SPD/CDU coalition |
|
| mfallet (9/8/2005 8:33:57 AM) |
|
|
|
After the debate on TV of course both sides present themselves as winners. Gerhard Schröder turned up as eloquent as everybody expected. Angela Merkel performed better than people anticipated. So Merkel seems to be the secret winner although Sch
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Cliffhanger |
|
| wboston (9/7/2005 12:26:18 PM) |
|
|
|
Angela Merkel is beginning to look right chancellor-like. In today's debate in parliament, barring the unexpected the last before the election, she wore royal red and gave a flawless speech. The folks at Der Spiegel's online news site described Schroder and Fischer by con
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Schroeder - a conspicuous failure? |
|
| Admin (9/6/2005 9:02:33 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Jon Vinocur in today's New York Times on the achievements (or non-achievements) of Gerhard Schroder
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Germany and Japan |
|
| Admin (9/6/2005 8:31:44 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Jeffrey E. Garten in Newsweek's International Edition (9/4/05) draws a comparison between Germany and Japan and the upcoming elections in both countries.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| What's in the press |
|
| Admin (9/6/2005 8:21:07 AM) |
|
|
Axel Gelfert in International Herald Tribune (UK) explains the role of Lafontaine (9/3/05), Judy Dempsey (International Herald Tribune France, 9/3/05) comments on the reactions and attempts of German politicians to exploit Katrina and M
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Substitute |
|
| wboston (9/5/2005 1:18:28 PM) |
|
|
|
As expected, Gerhard Schroeder used the first of two debates with his challenger Angela Merkel to focus the campaign more sharply on Paul Kirchhof, advocate of a flat-tax on income and the CDU's shadow finance minister. On various occasions during the debate Schroder portrayed Kirchhof, and indirectly Merkel and her policies, as cold and insensitive to daily realities of working cla
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Between Yesterday and Tomorrow: The Duel |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/5/2005 2:57:58 AM) |
|
|
On Sunday evening, the German public had the chance to see Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel in a direct confrontation, 90 minutes long. The “duel”, that is widely seen as the height of the campaign, has been televised by four major broadcast stations, ARD, ZDF, Sat1 and RTL. Everybody expected Schröder to win. The question was: Could Merkel make at least some points? The answer is: Merkel was much better than expected.
Hans-Ulrich Jörges, an influential commentator fr
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Macho Schröder and artful Merkel |
|
| Susanne Schulz (9/4/2005 5:23:22 PM) |
|
|
Germany waited for this moment: Angela Merkel and Gerhard Schröder argueing against each other about the utmost important topics of this years election campaign. Most of the still undecided voters said, that they will know whom to vote for after the TV duell. Four journalists of the two state-run TV stations and two private TV stations were interviewing Merkel and Schröder for 90 minutes. But they had also the chance to discuss with each other. Schröder didn't act like a gentleman. He himse
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Sneaking Disaster: Trittin, Bush and the Problem of Timing |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/4/2005 9:17:31 AM) |
|
|
Hurricane Katrina has turned out to be a major natural catastrophe. It has done lot’s of damage to the people of New Orleans and elswhere in the region. Furthermore, it has caused, as a side effect, some political turmoil, in American domestic politics as well as in German-American relations. On the one hand, Bush is harshly critized for not reacting immediatly. Some accuse him of poor leadership, others accuse him of racism, as the victims were largely poor blacks. On the other hand, Germ
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Contents - not the styling |
|
| mfallet (9/2/2005 5:25:15 PM) |
|
|
|
Discussion about feminism is boiling at the moment. For the first time there is a female chancellor candidate in Germany. Some say, time has come to elect a female head of government. But a lot of women say, they wouldn?t vote for Angela Merkel just because she is a woman. <
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Desaster 101 |
|
| Admin (9/2/2005 10:05:17 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Spiegel online reporter Jody K. Biehl on the question why Germany (and the world) do not rush to offer aid to the US (8/31/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Trittin again |
|
| Admin (9/2/2005 9:40:54 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Not really on the election, but since we took the story up earlier, we want to give a follow-up with an article in the Washington Post. No apologies or attempts to clean up the mess, instead the Greens are defending Trittin on their homepage - next to a call for donations .
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Oil reservers to be tapped |
|
| Admin (9/2/2005 9:37:23 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Expatica from the Netherlands reports on Angela Merkel's plan to tap the oil reserves of Germany (9/2/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Oskar rescues Gerhard? |
|
| Admin (9/2/2005 9:32:07 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Thomas Poguntke in the Guardian on the effects of the Leftists - and a possible Grand Coalition (9/2/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Katrina's unexpected effects |
|
| Admin (9/2/2005 9:28:22 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Though for some politicians the US and the desaster of Katrina seems to be far away, economists warn that the aftermath of the hurricane could affect Germany's economy more, than polticians are aware of. Financial Times UK Bertrand Benoit reports (9/2/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Another TV debate - |
|
| Admin (9/2/2005 9:15:34 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Noah Barkin reports for Reuters UK on the possible impact of the upcoming TV debate on Sunday night (9/1/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Little Promises |
|
| Susanne Schulz (9/1/2005 4:05:09 PM) |
|
|
During the so called "Change Summit" of the heads of CDU, CSU and FDP, one topic was on top of the list: the gasoline prize. The past few days, gas prizes climbed about 12 Cents per liter. The reason for this are the limited oil production because of Katrina and panic buyings of Amricans. One liter costs now about 1,42 Euro. Granted, this is expensive, but to make this topic more important than other coalition talks seems not very reliable. It smells more like a campaign snapshot
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Trittin and the wide gap |
|
| Admin (9/1/2005 10:53:03 AM) |
|
More Information
|
SPIEGEL online again with the question, if politicians can use catastropies in other countries to make for their own agenda
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Kirchhof: A Liability for Merkel? |
|
| wboston (9/1/2005 10:42:23 AM) |
|
|
|
At least since Gerhard Schroeder's combative speech at the SPD convention yesterday, it has become clear that Schroeder sees Paul Kirchhof as Angela Merkel's Achilles heel. Whether Schroeder can get much mileage out of pouncing on Kirchhof is an open question, but it does seem that Kirchhof is a potential liability for Merkel. (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Why did nobody hush him? |
|
| Admin (9/1/2005 9:53:06 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Christian von Malzahn on Trittin's insensitive essay in the Frankfurter Rundschau (SPIEGEL english site)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Antiquated or forward |
|
| mfallet (9/1/2005 9:15:35 AM) |
|
|
|
Election party congress of Social Democrats in Berlin. Chancellor Schröder acted pugnatiously, he said, at the moment the election wasnŽt decided at all, citizens would come to a decision some days before September 18th. As chancellor who wants to stay chancellor he has to allege, that
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Change in Transatlantic Relationships |
|
| Admin (9/1/2005 9:12:50 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The Washington Post, too, hopes for a change in transatlantic relationships (8/31/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Women |
|
| Admin (9/1/2005 8:27:33 AM) |
|
More Information
|
George Cukor would love it - one women attacking another for not being woman enough. Telegraph UK reports on an article in Germany's "Die Zeit".
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Gas prices in Europe and the election |
|
| Admin (9/1/2005 8:17:45 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Mark Landler and Carter Dougherty report for the New York Times on the economy in Europe and Germany and why the rising gasoline prices do not matter in Germany as much
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Last Waltz - Gerhard Schröder and SPD |
|
| Ulrich Speck (9/1/2005 6:23:20 AM) |
|
|
One must imagine Gerhard Schröder happy. He seems to have already lost the burden of a chancellorship that became unbearable. For seven years, he tried to convince a party that is intimately linked with the state, SPD, to become more market-oriented. In vain.
In it's long history, SPD always has been a major force for redistribution. A strong state should protect the working class against a market that always looked volatile and risky, dominated by the powers of the cla
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Meanwhile in Germany |
|
| Admin (8/31/2005 9:32:02 AM) |
|
|
|
Another american blog commenting on the elections in Germany.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Abdullah Gul on EU Membership |
|
| Admin (8/31/2005 9:20:51 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Turkish foreign minister Abdullah Gul in Turkish Weekly on the prospects of a priviledged partnership with the EU.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Reduction of Unemployment and the voters choice |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/30/2005 12:55:03 PM) |
|
|
The last time before the election, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Center) releases on wednesday the current unemployment figure. The news agency Reuters hast reported the numbers already. The Employment Center notes 44.000 less jobless persons in August compared to July. But this doesn't mean "The Turn". Because usually this is the time of the year, where companies are recruiting more employees before the schoolyear starts in September. Therefore, the actual reduction
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Putin's view of things |
|
| Admin (8/30/2005 8:44:10 AM) |
|
More Information
|
... isn't too exciting, he just states in INterfax Russia, that he won"t support Schroeder nor Merkel, since it's an internal affair. (8/29/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| It's the economy, stupid (II) |
|
| Admin (8/30/2005 8:40:47 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Business Week's James Mehring thinks, that the CDU's reform plans of the labor laws might cause panic among German consumers, harming the economy (8/29/05).
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Forbes on Heinrich von Pierer |
|
| Admin (8/30/2005 8:38:32 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Forbes notes that Angela Merkel has nominated former SIEMENS CEO von Pierer as economic advisor (8/29/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| News from the Party congresses |
|
| Admin (8/30/2005 8:36:48 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Stefan Nicola reports in Monstersandcritics.com about the latest party congresses (8/29/05)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Is it over? |
|
| wboston (8/29/2005 9:44:52 AM) |
|
|
|
It seems rare that in such a short span of time as allotted for this election that the direction things seem to be moving in can change so fast. Last week, embroiled in yet another gaff ? this time over Paul Kirchhoff, Angela Merkel?s shadow finance minister who calls for a flat tax and had to be reined in by the party ? it seemed that Merkel was losing momentum and the election was
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Campaigning in Kreuzberg |
|
| Admin (8/29/2005 9:11:36 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The Spiegel reports on Ahmet Iyirdili, one of the SPD's candidates of Turkish origin.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Jaunty Socialism |
|
| mfallet (8/28/2005 8:41:21 AM) |
|
|
|
Yesterday there was national party congress of the new left wing party 'Linkspartei'. The party compounds of former East German communists and disappointed former social democrats. The leftists passed their election manifesto nearly concordantly: they demand for example a statutory minimum wage of 1400 Euro, a statutory minimum pension of 800 Eur
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Merkel's Problem, Merkel's Chance |
|
| Ulrich Speck (8/27/2005 4:07:06 AM) |
|
|
Stefan Theil writes in Newsweek (msnbc.msn.com/id/9024463/site/newsweek): "It's an open question whether she will have the nerve to tell Germans the truth they absolutely do not want to hear: that their venerated ,social market economy,' stuck halfway between socialism and capitalism, no longer works and that it might be time to try something new."
Meanwhile, a new poll from Spiegel and TNS Infratest tells us that 56 percent of west Germans and 66 percent of East Germans agr
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| New methods of polling |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 9:25:21 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Reuters reports about the beer-poll, a new, interesting way to determine who is going to be chancellor.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Where campaign trails take you to |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 9:23:50 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The BBC reports about the unusual places politicians have to go in Germany in order to reach the vacationing voters.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Americanization of Germans? |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 9:01:37 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The Spiegel comments Thursday's rather lame TV-debate between the leaders of five parties - a 'show-down' that was not even an entertaining show.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Leftists against Turkey in the EU |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 8:46:45 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Lafontaine gives reasons why Turkey should not be within the EU - Expatica from the Netherlands reports
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| No full membership for Turkey |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 8:40:06 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Wolfgang Schaeuble, the candidate for the foreign ministry is against a full membership for Turkey
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Gender Dilemma |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 8:37:16 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
No politics for women, though she is a woman herself, writes Stefan Nicola in monstersandcritics (whatever that is)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Deutsche Bank as a mirror of Germany? |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 8:35:13 AM) |
|
More Information
|
JOsef Ackermann reflects in the International Heradl Tribune on the changes in the public opinion on managers, banks and global players.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Flood in Bavaria reaches election campaign |
|
| mfallet (8/26/2005 8:33:25 AM) |
|
|
|
That during election campaign in Germany rivers burst their banks is becoming a usual state. In 2002, surveys first quoted, that chancellor candidate Edmund Stoiber would win easily. But when the floods came, Stoiber halted his holiday for just one day and flew to (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Merkel - The reformer? |
|
| Admin (8/26/2005 8:31:37 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The International Herald Tribune wonders if Angela Merkel will continue with the necessary reforms
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Far right further marginalised |
|
| Admin (8/25/2005 10:36:15 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The far right has struggled, since they lost a lot of voters to the Leftists - notes the Turkish Weekly. Just in case somebody wonders if the NPD still exists - it does, unfortunately, it does.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| "Angie" battling with The Stones |
|
| Admin (8/25/2005 10:26:36 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Angela Merkel finds herself in a row with the Stones - interestingly enough over "Angie", the 1973 Stones hit. The Independent reports.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Schroeder nominated for the Nobel Prize |
|
| Admin (8/25/2005 10:24:29 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
So loosing the election will not hurt as badly as it could....
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| A new ambassador, a new chancellor, a new hope for the Transatlantic Relationships? |
|
| Admin (8/25/2005 10:10:25 AM) |
|
More Information
|
As Ambassador Timken arrives in Berlin, the Washington Post hopes for a change in the relationships between the US in Germany
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Merkel still is a phenomenon |
|
| Admin (8/25/2005 10:07:49 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Still puzzled over Angela Merkel chameleon-like changes? The Ledger-Inquirer is, too.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Elections accepted |
|
| Admin (8/25/2005 10:06:33 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The Globe and Mail gives an overview of the plaintiffs' Schulz and Hoffmanns reasons, but the court decided in favour of Schroeder.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Early Elections accepted |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/25/2005 4:24:43 AM) |
|
|
|
The Federal Constituional Court has accepted the early elections on 18th of September. The action of the member of the Bundestag, Jelena Hoffmann (SPD) and Werner Schulz (Greens), has been dismissed. They criticized, chancellor Schröder had lost his vote of confidence deliberately. The Court argues, Schröder's evaluation of his lack of support within his coalition of SPD and Greens was plausible. A deeper investigation was not duty of the Court.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| No Topics - No Profile |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/25/2005 3:37:46 AM) |
|
More Information
|
As some of the classic big profiling topics like military actions yes or no don't do their job any more, parties are looking for smaller topics to fill their lack of profile. For example the Hessian chief of the CDU fraction wants German pupils to sing more often in school. He aims for a "feeling of homeland and security" and a "positive identification with Germany" of the children. Another Hessian CDU politician expresses his fervent patriotism by an election poster with the
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| A game of colours |
|
| Admin (8/24/2005 10:36:06 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The Canadian Globe and Mail explains the different colour combinations that could (or could not) rule Germany
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| From a British point of view |
|
| Admin (8/24/2005 9:27:11 AM) |
|
More Information
|
The times online gives an overview of who wants what in Germany (and what doe the British want?) and gives good reasons whay Germany has to be strong within Europe.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Angela andTurkey |
|
| Admin (8/24/2005 9:24:38 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Angela Merkel clearly has denied Turkey full membership in the EU and favours a priviledged partnership
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Wolfgang Gerhardt as Foreign Minister: A Preview |
|
| Ulrich Speck (8/23/2005 10:13:54 AM) |
|
|
Iran has turned out not to be a big issue, even if Schroeder has played the card, saying that he is against the military option. The damage is done to the common Western front which was in fact never very unanimous, but at least tried to demonstrate strength vis-à-vis the mullahs. However, Schröder has to softened his rhetorics. Last sunday he explained in Deutschlandfunk that he didn’t plan to make the conflict with Iran a central issue in the campaign. Furthermore, all he wanted to do is
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Still no news from the court |
|
| Admin (8/23/2005 9:04:18 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Even those among us who have not had children yet can understand now what it must be like waiting in a room, waiting for news from behind closed doors - still the court has not decided, even the China Post is getting nervous.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Adjustment of models |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/23/2005 2:09:07 AM) |
|
|
Meanwhile Merkel and Kirchhof have managed to overcome their differences about the tax system - at least for the moment. As Ulrich wrote, Merkel had a good performance at the German talk show "Sabine Christiansen" on Sunday evening. She said, she wanted Kirchhof explicitly for his radical plans in her Competence Team. In the long run, Kirchhof's goal of a unitary tax rate of 25 % would match what the CDU was aiming at. The CDU tax modell of a three step rate between 12 and 39 % was jus
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Court decision on early elections |
|
| Admin (8/22/2005 5:42:14 PM) |
|
More Information
|
Still there is a small possibility that Germany's constitutional court will declare Schroeder's move for early elections as unlawful - the decision is expected tomorrow.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Why Angela Merkel is not Margaret Thatcher |
|
| Admin (8/22/2005 5:40:08 PM) |
|
More Information
|
The Chicago Tribune explains the complicated biography of Germany's first female candidate for chancellery
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| A Message of Hope: Why Angela Merkel Should Win the Elections |
|
| Ulrich Speck (8/22/2005 11:23:07 AM) |
|
|
Even if she has some problems to get Edmund Stoiber from CDU’s bavarian “sister party” CSU in line, Angela Merkel is doing well again. To present Paul Kirchhof, who favors a radical tax reform, as a member of her team and as a possible future Minister for Finance turns out to respond to the desire of Germans for change. Yes, there will be, as Susanne has pointed out, some new debates on the tax reform. But what counts more is the the general performance of Angela Merkel, and
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| It's the taxes stupid |
|
| Admin (8/22/2005 8:13:26 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Does Merkel's plan to raise the taxes again jeopardize Germany's recovering economy?
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Unlucky Merkel |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/22/2005 4:37:34 AM) |
|
|
|
Gerhard Schröder (SPD) just has to lean back and watch with an inscrutable smile. His challenger Angela Merkel (CDU) produces her own obstacles. After she pronounced her Competence Team last week, at least one of its members is becoming a problem. Paul Kirchhof, her financial expert, presents his own fiscal reform. A radical reform. When he becomes minisiter of finance, he wants to abolish all 418 pivileges of the German tax law. His goal is the "tax declaration in ten minutes". The
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Rosy economic future? |
|
| Mareike Fallet (8/20/2005 4:43:32 PM) |
|
|
|
Germans are pretty suspicious of others praising their economy as Economist did this week. The climate of public opinion concerning economic situation is pessimistic. We have a disposition to underrate our country. People don't realize an upward economic trend. They save money fearfully, some are cautious, some are uncertain. Unemp
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Leftists on the rise |
|
| Admin (8/19/2005 5:00:02 PM) |
|
More Information
|
|
Unabridgedly anti-kapitalistic, even if it hurts the economy - The International Herald Tribune on Germany's leftist party
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Linkspartei officially accepted |
|
| sschulz (8/19/2005 4:11:06 PM) |
|
|
|
The electoral committees of the federal states have now officially accepted the new founded "Linkspartei". There are no technical objections against the Linkspartei taking part in the elections. The leftist party "Linkspartei" is a combination of the "Wahlalternative Arbeit und sozial Gerechtigkeit" (WASG) - the Electoral Alternative for Labour and social Justice - in western Germany and the socialist party PDS, formally SED (Socialist Unity Party) - the reigning
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Best Policy? |
|
| wboston (8/19/2005 12:53:41 PM) |
|
More Information
|
When we were kids our parents always told us that honesty is the best policy. But is that true in politics? Gerhard Schroder is partly in the trouble he is in because he did not tell voters about his planned Agenda 2010 reform program before the 2002 election. Surprised when Schroder sprung the reform plan on the country after the election, voters reacted angrily and the SPD has lost a string of state elections, fallen to record lows in opinion polls, and is witnessing an exodus of its members t
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The troubled conservatives |
|
| Admin (8/19/2005 10:03:01 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
It is not easy for Angela Merkel, she has to keep Stoiber and Schoenbohm in line, who both bash the East
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Will George save Gerhard? |
|
| Admin (8/19/2005 9:58:12 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
The San Diego Tribune comments on Gerhard Schroeder's latest statements on George Bush and the Iran.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| The Competence Team |
|
| Admin (8/19/2005 9:55:15 AM) |
|
More Information
|
Angela Merkel has presented her government yesterday. Big challenges for these people, if they win the election.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Schröder and Iran: Will 2002 Become a Replay of 2005? |
|
| Ulrich Speck (8/18/2005 1:03:07 PM) |
|
|
Schröders attempt to make Iran a major issue in the campagin has failed so far. In an immediate reaction to Bush's statement that all options are on the table, Schröder had said, in an attempt to dramatize:"Take the military option from the table!" (See below my post from 8/14). But there hasn't been much reaction on Schröders easily recognisable aim to play the game of 2002 again.
A major reason for that failure is that the situation of 2005 is very different from 2002. Fir
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Angela Merkel's Competence Team |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/17/2005 1:29:43 PM) |
|
|
Today Angela Merkel has presented her shadow cabinet, her so called Competence Team. But the chancellor candidate insists in not calling the six men and three women her shadow cabinet. Nevertheless she stated: "Except Dieter Althaus (Prime Minister of the East German State Thuringia), everyone of the Competence Team is ready for being Minister after our election victor
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Deja-vu? |
|
| Admin (8/16/2005 9:00:00 AM) |
|
More Information
|
|
In 2002, the Iraq-war made Schroeder chancellor, so this year he is using the Iran. Quite puzzling, first, is there a real threat of the US invading the Iran with all the problems they have to deal with in Iraq? And above all - some weeks ago it looked like Schroeder did not want to become chancellor again, even if this meant another American invasion in the Middle East
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Closing of ranks |
|
| Mareike Fallet (8/14/2005 4:54:35 PM) |
|
|
|
Conservatives in Germany have no bigger wish than being put in again. But as CDU-politicians like Christian Wulff (minister-president of Lower Saxony) are berating Edmund Stoiber from sister party CSU for his unmindful utterances about East-Germans, the scandal increase
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Insecurity and Fear |
|
| Ulrich Speck (8/14/2005 7:25:01 AM) |
|
|
The current campaign in Germany is characterized by insecurity and
fear. From the moment when Schröder decided to call for new elections
until today, we still don't now wheter there will be elections or not.
The last constitutional step is still to go, it's the approval of the
Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht). Even if it is
unlikely that the Bundesverfassungsgericht will veto the elections,
it's not impossible that the judges will condemn the red-green
governm
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Forfeiting Voter's Sympathy |
|
| Mareike Fallet (8/13/2005 8:29:07 AM) |
|
|
Edmund Stoiber, CSU, luckless chancellor-candidate from 2002 and incumbent minister-president of Bavaria, doesn't want to excuse for insulting the East Germans. He said, he was being misunderstood, as he spoke about frustrated Eastgermans shouldn't decide again on who is going to become chancellor in Germany. Stoiber also said, that he just wanted to attack Gregor Gysi and Oscar Lafontaine from Election Alternative Labor and Social Justice (WASG), a new left-wing party. WASG is popular in Eas
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Friend or Foe |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/12/2005 7:00:00 AM) |
|
|
Edmund Stoiber, head of the Bavarian conservatives, the Christian Socialist Union (CSU), apparently started a new strategy. He insults East-German voters: He doesn't want the elections being influenced by the "frustrated" and he regrets that not everywhere people in Germany are "so intelligent like in Bavaria". The CSU is the Bavarian fraction of the CDU and reigns Bavaria since 1946, interrupted just once from 1954 until 1957.
Stoibers new strategy seems to aim
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| TV or not TV? |
|
| Susanne Schulz (8/11/2005 3:00:00 PM) |
|
More Information
|
The German election campaign has started already with heavy debates, even it is still not sure that there will be elections on September, 18th at all. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder called an early election this year instead of next year after the Social Democrats (SPD) had lost regional polls in North Rhine-Westfalia in May. The German Supreme Court will not decide before end of august, if this is compliant with the constitution.
Nevertheless, the media jumps at the slightest topic
... (full text)
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Big Coalition or big change? |
|
| Admin (8/11/2005 3:00:00 PM) |
|
More Information
|
The New York Times again is conjuring up the ghost of a big coalition and doubts if the Germans will give a chancellor Merkel the majority essential to reform their country.
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| Chances of changes? |
|
| Admin (8/9/2005 10:13:00 AM) |
|
More Information
|
After a sure majority of the CDU things begin to look more rosy for the SPD again - the big question in this crazy campaign is: What is rosy and would do the parties really want? The Spiegel even considers a grand coalition. But what do Merkel and Schroeder consider?
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
|
| A new ghost? |
|
| Admin (8/8/2005 3:29:00 PM) |
|
More Information
|
So, the Bundespraesident has accepted Schroeder's appeal to dissolve the Bundestag, but not much has happened since. So the New York Times is investigating into the fact, why so many voters (especially those of the former GDR) are turning to the new leftists' party.
Is there a new ghost haunting Germany? The ghost of communists reborn?
|
| Back to Top |
| |
|
