German Politics

[Rihab]

2017 will be an unusually busy year in German politics, with the presidential election to be held in February, three state elections that will decide control of the upper house of parliament (Bundesrat) in March and May and the all-important federal election that will decide which party takes control of the lower house of parliament (Bundestag) and gets to pick the next chancellor in September.

German presidential election: 12 February 2017

Saarland state election: 26 March 2017
Schleswig-Holstein state election: 7 May 2017
North Rhine-Westphalia state election: 14 May 2017

German federal election: 24 September 2017

[Rihab]

Merkel announces reelection bid in ‘insecure times’

BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday announced her intention to seek a fourth term in office, even as she played down her ability to be a stabilizing global force in the unpredictable age of Donald Trump.

Merkel, 62, is Europe’s most influential leader, a political centrist in the vein of President Obama, her close and longtime ally. Her stature and diplomatic clout — along with her strong stances on equality and tolerance — have led observers to call her a potential counterpoint to rising nationalism and populism on both sides of the Atlantic.

Merkel said Sunday that she was flattered by those calling for her to assume the global mantle of liberal democracy after Obama’s departure. But she also called it “grotesque” and “absurd” to assume that one person can make a difference in a rapidly changing world.

Speaking about a global situation that is “realigning” after Trump’s election, particularly in regard to Russia, she said, “No person alone, not even the most experienced, can turn things to good in Germany, Europe and the world, especially not a chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.”

Nevertheless, Merkel said, she had decided, after “endless deliberation,” to run again, in part to work in favor of political dialogue that is not characterized by “hate.” She seemed to suggest no other candidate could serve as a match for these “insecure times.”

“People would have little understanding if I would not again bring to bear all the gifts and talents which were given to me to do my duty for Germany,” she said at the headquarters of her center-right Christian Democrats in Berlin.

By merely announcing, Merkel becomes the early favorite if not a shoe-in to win next year’s vote, which would make her Germany’s longest-serving leader since Helmut Kohl presided over German reunification and the end of the Cold War.

But the methodical Merkel will find herself swimming against the tide of resurgent nationalism, including in Germany. Although buoyed by this nation’s vast economic strength, she faces a serious backlash from her decision last year to take in nearly a million refugees from the Middle East. She must also contend with voter fatigue with political elites and incumbents.

[...]

The political fallout has played into the hands of the anti-establishment, far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), an upstart party that has racked up victories in key local elections this year. The AfD is vowing to pull out the stops against her reelection.

“Germany can’t afford a further term in office by Angela Merkel,” Frauke Petry, chairwoman of the AfD, tweeted Sunday.

If Merkel does win a fourth term, it might be due to the lack of a major rival. One possibility, former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, now seems content to pursue the largely ceremonial position of president. That leaves names like Sigmar Gabriel, the colorful deputy chancellor from Merkel’s junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, and possibly Martin Schulz, the current president of the E.U.’s parliament. But both men — and any other hopefuls — would first need to break through Merkel’s aura of political invincibility and the respect many Germans hold for her.

SOURCE

Surprise, surprise.

[Mainshow]

It is funny to hear that Merkel is the counterpart and the last remaining fighter against rising nationalism.
Her (and her team's) decisions during the Euro crisis and letting unregistered refugees in, downgrading Eastern European countries and calling "everyone who is against Merkel, is an asshole" did in fact helped the "rise of nationalism".

Hopefully, the CDU will fall next year. I really hope to see other parties than CDU and SPD getting bigger amounts of votes this time.
Our country needs a rationally thinking, liberal and more progressive opposition.

P.S.: It was very kind of you to open up a thread for our election.
Hopefully, we won't flop as hard as the Americans xD

[MusicLover88]

Educate me, folks.

Merkel is pretty much a conservative, right?

[Mainshow]

Educate me, folks.

Merkel is pretty much a conservative, right?

That's what I think:

Her party used to be conservative but we had a huge left-wing shift in our political parties over the last years. Apart from her "same-sex marriages cause me stomach pain" sentence, she's not really much of a conservative anymore. That's just how (foreign) media likes to portray her.

AfD - our fairly new right-wing party - shares a lot of views like CDU (Merkel's party) 10 years ago (AfD adds a lot of racism though).

CSU, a twin party of CDU and which are running under the same name for the national election, has been going on forever now that they think of breaking away from Merkel's party. She wasn't even present at their latest meeting (she's always been invited but not this time).

I'd call CSU conservative and CDU has become more of or less a SPD (social-democratics) 2.0 with a few "more conservative" stances/views.

Our problem is that we lack a party as a serious contender for conservative views. People basically have to choose between CDU or AfD if they want to vote conservative. But one party is more left-oriented in recent years and the other one is fairly new, hasn't run anything yet, is racist and a ******* joke (but some people fell for them).

That's why our election will be quite interesting. I can see a lot of more conservativ-thinking people choosing something completely else this time.

I've almost already made up my mind and I won't vote for Merkel again and of course, I won't be a douchebag and vote AfD...I have some other two parties in mind and I can't wait to see their campaigns.

[jio]

She should just go home...

[Preyoncé]

She should just go home...

Very interesting indeed. Brexit and Trumps win were total shockers for the world. I really wonder how the Germans wil think and vote :-?

[Crackiswack]

If the populist/nationalist party wins this one, I don't know how this will end up. I won't be in shock, but I'll be nervous for the future

[stevyy]

If the populist/nationalist party wins this one, I don't know how this will end up. I won't be in shock, but I'll be nervous for the future

afd will never win a federal election.

my estimation:

CDU/CSU: 35,7%
SPD: 23,4%
AfD: 16,7%
Greens: 9,1%
Linke: 8,3%
FDP: 5,9%
Others: 0,9%

[Erotica]

this is mostly decided anyway, Merkel and CDU will win again as always :evil: I hate this party

don't know yet for whom I vote, it will also depend on the other candidates for the parties

[LOVE+FEAR]

stevyy, I don't think "others" will be below 3-4% ...
Apart from that it looks pretty realistic IMO but I think CDU will only be slightly above 30%

[Rihab]

this is mostly decided anyway, Merkel and CDU will win again as always :evil: I hate this party

don't know yet for whom I vote, it will also depend on the other candidates for the parties

[LOVE+FEAR]

I'm still surprised why the NRW state election in 2005 led to such chaos including the early new elections, that Merkel "won". Otherwise, we would've had federal elections in 2014 (shortly before the peak of the refugee crisis) and 2018 (with more distance to Brexit, Trump, and possibly Le Pen). I know we won't ever know the differences but it's interesting to think about.

[Rihab]

I'm still surprised why the NRW state election in 2005 led to such chaos including the early new elections, that Merkel "won". Otherwise, we would've had federal elections in 2014 (shortly before the peak of the refugee crisis) and 2018 (with more distance to Brexit, Trump, and possibly Le Pen). I know we won't ever know the differences but it's interesting to think about.

NRW is by far the biggest state in the nation and it had been reliably red for decades before 2005. If in January, the SPD picks Gabriel as their candidate (I hope not) and then loses NRW in May, that'll be a sign that he can't win in September and there'll be lots of drama again.

[LOVE+FEAR]

I hope they won't choose Gabriel ... What do you think of Martin Schulz?

[Mainshow]

I'm still surprised why the NRW state election in 2005 led to such chaos including the early new elections, that Merkel "won". Otherwise, we would've had federal elections in 2014 (shortly before the peak of the refugee crisis) and 2018 (with more distance to Brexit, Trump, and possibly Le Pen). I know we won't ever know the differences but it's interesting to think about.

NRW is by far the biggest state in the nation and it had been reliably red for decades before 2005. If in January, the SPD picks Gabriel as their candidate (I hope not) and then loses NRW in May, that'll be a sign that he can't win in September and there'll be lots of drama again.

Truth told. NRW has 18 million inhabitans. We may function as an indicator how the political situation looks like in Germany.
Especially since weare most SPD-loyal.

Gabriel would be a horrible candidate. If he gets picked, I hope to see SPD below 20%.

[LOVE+FEAR]

I watched Anne Will talkshow yesterday with Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, state minister of Saarland. Wow, I just found out what she said last year about gay marriage - it would lead to incest and polygamy marriage demands! Unelectable Jens Spahn is having a hard time in the CDU I guess, but I feel like I should be cautious before saying I like him, don't know which bad sides he has I don't know yet

[LOVE+FEAR]

Btw, thanks for opening, Rihab

(lol it was first autocorrected to Rihanna )

[Erotica]

If the SPD choose Gabriel (and I think they will), then they have zero chances for a good result :/

[Rihab]

I hope they won't choose Gabriel ... What do you think of Martin Schulz?

Literally anyone would be better than Gabriel, but Schulz could actually win imo. I usually vote green, but depending on the candidates I might switch to red or purple this time, cause I'm definitely not here for black-green.

Ideally, the SPD would choose a younger woman like Schwesig, not some old, bearded guy to go against Merkel, but Schulz is the second-best option now that Steinmeier is set to become president.

[MrDiva]

Leave our beloved empress alone. God save the Merkel

[LOVE+FEAR]

I hope they won't choose Gabriel ... What do you think of Martin Schulz?

Literally anyone would be better than Gabriel, but Schulz could actually win imo. I usually vote green, but depending on the candidates I might switch to red or purple this time, cause I'm definitely not here for black-green.

Ideally, the SPD would choose a younger woman like Schwesig, not some old, bearded guy to go against Merkel, but Schulz is the second-best option now that Steinmeier is set to become president.

Schwesig would be great

[Rihab]

I hope they won't choose Gabriel ... What do you think of Martin Schulz?

Literally anyone would be better than Gabriel, but Schulz could actually win imo. I usually vote green, but depending on the candidates I might switch to red or purple this time, cause I'm definitely not here for black-green.

Ideally, the SPD would choose a younger woman like Schwesig, not some old, bearded guy to go against Merkel, but Schulz is the second-best option now that Steinmeier is set to become president.

Schwesig would be great

Yeah, I think she could be the next big thing for the SPD. They probably want her to gain more experience so she can run against von der Leyen in 2021 or 2025.

[LOVE+FEAR]

Do you think von der Leyen is a realistic bet for CDU 2021?
Klöckner's done since the RLP vote right?

[Erotica]

I would vote for the Greens but I am sure they won't choose a candidate I like

Do you think von der Leyen is a realistic bet for CDU 2021?
Klöckner's done since the RLP vote right?

maybe. This woman is even worse than Merkel, so I would not be surprised