Merkel's Party Routed In Big German State

[DFW]

10. This was a local election where the personalities got what they deserved--not a national indication

The moderate, charismatic sitting SPD governor, Hannelore Kraft got her party 39%
where the colorless, ineffective CDU challenger got what he deserved, a whopping loss.
This was fought by personalities, with ideology running second. That the Piratenpartei
got 7.8% (latest ARD figures, could yet change) shows that a large segment of the
population is fed up with the whole process.

My wife voted SPD, hates the Piraten because they don't stand for much of anything.
I kinda admire them, because they don't stand for much of anything and still got into
parliament. Now, of course, they'll have to take a stand on something, but the established
parties, to which I now have to include the Greens, got the message: a potential coalition
maker or breaker won by basically saying "to hell with all of you." As an American citizen,
I still vote in the USA, of course, so my sentiments don't matter--probably just as well!!

Here in Germany, Neonazis get only fractions of the vote. Back home, the Neonazis (spelled G.O.P.)
get upwards of 40%. No American Pirates get my vote as long as a danger like that lurks.
Democratic all the way for me.