Germany: Reports: SPD Agree on Merkel as Chancellor

[muriel_volestrangler]

Statements from a SPD spokesperson seem to confirm earlier reports that a deal has been struck between the Social Democrats and conservatives which will see Angela Merkel become Germany's first female chancellor.

Germany’s long wait for a new chancellor is coming to an end after sources from both the Social Democrat and Christian Democratic Union parties said on Monday that Angela Merkel is set to become Germany's first female chancellor, and the first to have been raised in the former communist east, under a deal struck with the SPD.

A Social Democrat spokesman told reporters that Gerhard Schröder's party had agreed that Merkel should replace the incumbent as chancellor at the head of a coalition government. The spokesperson said party members had approved by a large majority the deal that would make Merkel the first female chancellor in German history.

Merkel should be formally voted into office by parliament after the conservatives (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats have thrashed out a coalition program and this has been approved by both parties, probably next month.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1736033,00.html

A question for any Germans: did the Left Party make it clear before the election that it was uninterested in forming a governing coalition, or did it only announce that after the election? If it did say that before the election, how do you think it affected people's votes (and if they only said it after the election, and you voted for them, how do you feel about that?)

[rpannier]

1. Speaking as a non-German

I think it sucks. I want to know why the left always feels it has to compromise with the right. The SPD had as much claim to the chancellorship as the right did. I think the SPD should have looked to one of the more left-wing parties and form a coalition with them.

[mare]

2. to answer your questions:

Yes, the Left Party made it clear they had no interest in being part of a governing coalition just like every other party made it clear they had no interest in forming a governing coalition with the Left Party.

Since that was repeatedly said before the election I don't think it made any difference in how people were voting.

And I didn't vote for them.



Personally, I'm okay with how it turned out now. Granted, it was clear from even before the election that we would get a grand coalition under Merkel. I'm just surprised the SPD managed to get 8 minister seats.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. The reason I thought it might have affected the voting

was that left-supporting voters, who might feel that the Left Party had the best policies, might decide that they didn't want the situation they've now ended up with - a coalition involving the CDU. So they'd switch to either the Greens or SPD in the hope of getting 50% of the vote for the 2 parties still to the left of centre that would be willing to govern. Of course, since many might have thought that impossible anyway (since there were last-minute SPD gains to get the split we have now), perhaps no-one did think like that.

[mare]

6. I get what you are saying, but I really don't think so

It's a bit hard to explain but I'm trying.

In my opinion your scenario is unlikely because lots of voters of the Left Party are former voters of SPD/Greens who got fed up with their politics and turned to something more left.
I would go as far as to say that for some people when voting for the Left Party they were trying to make a point about how much they hated the SPD/Greens politics. Basically, they did the same thing the former CDU/CSU voters did who switched to the FDP.

[reorg]

10. as to your second point

I don't see any indication that the gains of the FDP were caused by former CDU/CSU voters who "hated" CDU/CSU policies. Which policies would that be? On the contrary, I think these voters wanted to make sure that their votes would not be in support of a grand coalition, which was the most likely outcome anyway.

[Bike Punk]

3. being an American in munich

I'm having a hard time understanding the whole mess as well.

The reason they couldn't form a coalition (as they have in the past) is Joscka Fischer (the green leader) has said he's done with all of it. 'time to let the younger generation step up and work' in effect.

Another reason is, there was no clear winner, even if there was a coalition. The CSU/CDU had their 45%, as did the SPD. So that left them with making a coalition with the FDP (no chance there, they side with the CSU/CDU) the Green party (Still too small to make a difference) or the Like (left) party.

I think the last thing I saw was a SPD/Green/Links versus a CSU/CDU/FDP and it still ended up 50-50 essentially.

This whole 'Sharing' fiasco started when someone mentioned a SPD/CSU/CDU coalition, then splitting the 4 year term into two 2-year terms. Sure its better than what Bushco did, but it still didn't fly.

Im trying to understand it, but more than anything, people are fed up with the unemployment and all that goes with it, and now its time for the other guys to 'put up or shut up'. They have been so critical for so long, it will be interesting to see if they can make a change. A POSITIVE change...

[mare]

4. I don't understand

how Joschka Fischer's decision to step back had anything to do with there not being a Red/Green coalition.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi Bike Punk!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[reorg]

14. actually, it isn't that complicated

The CDU/CSU did not get 45, only 35 percent, as did the SPD.

Which "leaves" coalitions - as is always the case in Germany. We never had a single-party government on the federal level, except once in the late fifties or so.

And, no, it doesn't end up "50-50 essentially". What we have is a clear majority on the left (327 seats for SPD/Greens/Left against 309 CDU/CSU/FDP). Except that the SPD would rather move further to and work with the "center" ... you know, the old problem with "moderates", it's the same everywhere, I guess.

[Kellanved]

7. There are a few factors regarding a red/red/green coalition

#1 Fairness: Many left party politicians are former mid-level SPD and union activists, who tried to advance their stranded political careers by switching parties. Rewarding them with government jobs would not go down well with the SPD base.

#2 Tactics: Brokering compromises with the conservatice dominated upper house would be even more difficult, not to say impossible.

#3 The Greens: The Greens are not a left party anymore; they actually have more to gain from four years opposition.

#4 The left: They are in the same situation as the greens: the grand coalition practically guarantees their continued existence as a party.

[reorg]

12. lol

The former SPD chairman and three-times-in-a-row elected state governor Lafontaine would get a good chuckle out of your point #1 ... wouldn't it be more accurate to say that former mid-level SPD activists whose name nobody knows are now rewarded with government jobs for bending over to Stoiber and the former low-level FDJ propaganda secretary Merkel, while big dogs Schröder and Clement are getting the boot?

As to your #4 I totally agree: the Left Party will grow and maybe soon reach their actual potential of up to 20 percent. I am very much looking forward to that.

[stepnw1f]

8. Ver Dumpf

Warum haßt Gott uns alle? Ich hoffe, daß es nicht dieses Schlechte ist.

[reorg]

9. the Left Party always made that clear

and there was no doubt that they will not support:

- "Hartz IV" (a "reform" introduced by the SPD that results in hardship for the long-term unemployed and caused outrage among former SPD members and voters)

- any participation in military interventions (including Afghanistan).


So - while there may have been, and still is, I guess, at least the theoretical possibility of tolerating a Green/Left minority government that would change its course - fact is that those who voted for the Left Party were opposed to what the SPD did in recent years and will continue to do in a "grand coalition".

As to entering a Red/Red coalition government (some day), the Left Party still has to define a unified position - the Left Party is a very recent fusion of the "WASG", mostly disgruntled former members of SPD and Greens who are not much inclined to form a government with those who they consider sell-outs, and the "PDS", the reformed socialists who are very strong in the East and have already formed such coalitions on state level.

[NVMojo]

13. SCARY, this woman admires GWBUSH!!!!

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,437612,00.jpg