Coalition Building
By Karl-Thomas Musselman
I've been paying attention to the ongoing stalemate of who is to lead Germany after the most recent round of elections in which the ruling SPD-Grune Coalition lost its majority though pulled back from a crushing defeat to more or less tie the Conservative opposition. Because of German election laws, neither major party has an outright majority and cannot reach it with either of their traditional minor party partners.
This has led to the possibility of odd major-minor partnerships which have mostly all been rejected now, leaving a grand coalition as the only remaining option- a union between the two major parties. And it seems like that is exactly what will end up happening, but it does not decide the big question of which Party gets the chancellery. While the CDU/CSU does have 3 more seats than the SPD, Gerhard Schroeder is more popular personally than the conservative Angela Merkel.
I know this has nothing to do with Texas politics, but I'm half German and many of our Hill Country readers might be interested. If anyone has some thoughts on where this might end up, leave a comment.
Posted by Karl-Thomas Musselman at September 25, 2005 01:02 PM
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Don't hold your breathe. I predict that no Government will be formed and a new election will be held. If the CDU does not put forth another Chancellor candidate, look for the SPD to do better than they did last time.
I've been wondering that as well actually. But is it possible? I know that elections aren't exactly on the most regular patterns there. I assume that the process would be to elect a chancellor, then immediatly hold a vote of no confidence, have it pass and then new elections be called.
My understanding is that if a Gov is not formed by sometime in mod-October, there will be a new election. Count on it. Schroeder has nothing to lose and everything to gain in such a scenario.
"Wir werden waehlen wieder."
