Article

2005-09-20 Europe

Merkel, Schroeder Vie for Power in Germany

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Posted by Fred 2005-09-20 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 David's Medienkritik (in English) held out the possibility of a "Jamaica" coalition featuring the Yellow (pro-business FDP), Black (Merkel's CDU/CSU) and Green parties coming together. Talk about your strange bedfellows!

Posted by eLarson 2005-09-20 10:26|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2005-09-20 10:26|| Front Page Top

#2 I think Joschka Fischer said, "When hell freezes over." or words to that effect. Whatever happens, it's a mess and unfortunately it seems to be an accurate representation of Germany and its politics today. I sure hope they don't do the Japan thing and end up in the tank for a decade.

Maybe they could find a way to undo reunification.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-09-20 10:33|| 2005-09-20 10:33|| Front Page Top

#3 What's keeping the SPD, Greens and the Left Party from forming a majority coalition?

Posted by ed 2005-09-20 10:48|| 2005-09-20 10:48|| Front Page Top

#4 FDP is free market and opposes subsidies for alternate energy, and restrictions on nukes, which Greens favor, I saw someone suggest they could make common cause in opposition to subsidies for coal and other polluting industries (the coal miners all vote SDP, I presume) Not srue how it will play out. Also would lead to split in Greens - some Greens are yuppie enviros, others are anarchist types.

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-09-20 10:53|| 2005-09-20 10:53|| Front Page Top

#5 Left vs SDP

Schroeder and Lafontaine hate each others guts, IIUC. And going left would hand the NEXT election to the right - most Germans dont like the left, and dont want SDP to ally with them.

TGA?

Posted by liberalhawk 2005-09-20 10:54|| 2005-09-20 10:54|| Front Page Top

#6 Yes there is a personal feud, but coalitions form all the time in spite of personal enmity. Are the policies of the SPD and Greens so different that they cannot share power. After all, the FDP and Greens seem even farther apart and talk of a coalition was entertained.

Posted by ed 2005-09-20 10:58|| 2005-09-20 10:58|| Front Page Top

#7 The SPD is now governing with the Greens but they would need a third party. Neither the CDU nor the FDP would want to join. There is a third left wing party, called, I think, Left run by Oscar Lafontaine that is really wacko Greens or communists who left the Green party and want nothing to do with the SPD. Plus, everybody is playing head games with everybody else. Perhaps TGA will drop by to straighten out all our errors. But when he does, the bottom line will still be German politics are a mess.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-09-20 11:32|| 2005-09-20 11:32|| Front Page Top

#8 Is that the one labeled "LINKE"?

Posted by eLarson 2005-09-20 17:38|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2005-09-20 17:38|| Front Page Top

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