Schroeder: Political suicide in Germany

VanDijk · May 23, 2005

I hate being a German version of Iranian Monitor, but maybe it's interesting nevertheless.

"Schroeder plans early German poll" -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4571465.stm

For Americans: Northrhine-Westphalia voting conservative is like Texas going liberal (almost). Northrhine-Westphalia has a higher GDP than Brazil or Russia.

Iranian Monitor · May 23, 2005

VanDijk said:

I hate being a German version of Iranian Monitor, but maybe it's interesting nevertheless.
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Iran's election results can decide the future of a lot of things that dominate international events these days. Literally, thanks to Bush, your government in Germany, the government in France, the British government, and much of the rest of the world are forced to bid for time to see how those elections turn out given the stakes. Just because folks here have made discussing Iran taboo, doesn't mean you can have an intelligent discussion of international relations in this day and age and ignore what is ultimately the main topic at hand!

But don't worry: there is no tabooo in bigsoccer discussing German politics -- and, God forbid, you won't be painted an "outcast" by anyone for that piece. So you can comfortably hide in comformity and go with the flow. No one will pick on you.

BenReilly · May 23, 2005

Iranian Monitor said:

Just because folks here have made discussing Iran taboo,
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True, but pictures are acceptable.

BenReilly · May 23, 2005

Gerhard Schröder, the German chancellor, may have wanted to keep the trouncing of his Social Democratic party at yesterday's regional election in North Rhine-Westphalia away from newspapers' front pages today.

But if that was the point of yesterday's surprise decision to bring forward the 2006 general election by a year to this autumn, he may come to regret the price.

Franz Müntefering, SPD chairman, said yesterday the decision made in consultation with the chancellor had been taken because the opposition Christian Democrats now controlled 10 of Germany's 16 regional states, making effective political action by the government difficult under the country's federalist political system.

The opposition, however, had been in control of the upper house, which represents the regions, since 1999, and yesterday's regional election will not give it the two-thirds majority needed to block all government legislation.

The real message to come out of yesterday's shock move is an admission of defeat. Mr Schröder and his government have lost hope that their pro-business policies of the past three years can put the German economy back on the path to growth.

When the chancellor unveiled Agenda 2010, his tough programme of social security and labour market reforms, in March 2003, his calculation was that the initial pain would prove to strengthen the economy.

A rebound in growth, and the ensuing decrease in unemployment, would then guarantee his re-election in the autumn of 2006.

Instead, Germany's economy has continued to wobble between recession and stagnation, as it has done for the past five years. Unemployment, partly as a result of statistical changes brought by the reforms, has shot up to a postwar highs, and the SPD's popularity is in tatters.

The latest available nationwide opinion survey, published last Thursday by Infratest-Dimap pollsters, showed the SPD scoring 29 per cent of the votes against 45 per cent for the CDU.
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http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e2b3daac-cb27-11d9-9abe-00000e2511c8.html

aloisius · May 23, 2005

Turkey can say goodby to any hopes of entering the EU now.

Ray Luca · May 23, 2005

Iranian Monitor said:

Iran's election results can decide the future of a lot of things that dominate international events these days. Literally, thanks to Bush, your government in Germany, the government in France, the British government, and much of the rest of the world are forced to bid for time to see how those elections turn out given the stakes. Just because folks here have made discussing Iran taboo, doesn't mean you can have an intelligent discussion of international relations in this day and age and ignore what is ultimately the main topic at hand!

But don't worry: there is no tabooo in bigsoccer discussing German politics -- and, God forbid, you won't be painted an "outcast" by anyone for that piece. So you can comfortably hide in comformity and go with the flow. No one will pick on you.
Click to expand...

Irainan M what is the unemplyment rate in Iran? It is absolutely terrible in the Fatherland.

Alex_K · May 23, 2005

VanDijk said:

I hate being a German version of Iranian Monitor, but maybe it's interesting nevertheless.
Click to expand...

Hey, VanDijk, nice to see you post something again. What about another cameo on the Germany board ?