European Tribune - Comments - Countdown Germany: Day -0.5

Countdown Germany: Day -0.5 | 20 comments (20 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Countdown Germany: Day -0.5 (none / 0)

I read recently that 1997 was a momentous election because it was the first time post WWII that power changed hands because of voting patterns and not because or a change in party alliances. Is that correct?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sun Sep 18th, 2005 at 09:52:38 AM EST

Re: Countdown Germany: Day -0.5 (none / 0)

1998.

Yes, it is true: 1998 were the first elections that dropped a government and chose a completely new government. Former changes of government were never complete (one party of a coalition always remained), and were always because of changes in party alliances.

1966: CDU/FDP --> CDU/SPD
1969: CDU/SPD --> SPD/FDP
1982: SPD/FDP --> CDU/FDP

by Saturday (geckes(at)gmx.net) on Sun Sep 18th, 2005 at 10:07:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Countdown Germany: Day -0.5 (none / 0)

True, but somewhat misleading. From the time the CDU/CSU lost its absolute majority to the rise of the Greens the only way a government could be formed was with two of the three existing parties; the kind of complete changeover that you saw in 1998 was simply a mathematical impossibility.

by MarekNYC on Sun Sep 18th, 2005 at 12:54:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Countdown Germany: Day -0.5 (none / 0)

it would have been the case if one or two parties in opposition won the absolute majority in a single election.

by Saturday (geckes(at)gmx.net) on Sun Sep 18th, 2005 at 01:38:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Countdown Germany: Day -0.5 | 20 comments (20 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

. Home
. About
. Contact
. New User Guide
. FAQ
. ET Editorial Guidelines
. Search
. Search (Google)

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Recommended Diaries

A Star is Born
by ChrisCook - May 23
23 comments

Socratic Economics XII: Utopian Government Finance
by Zwackus - May 25
29 comments

$1,000,000,000,00
0 or what we must remember
by Metatone - May 19
69 comments

Stable pricing is to metaphysics as variable pricing is to...
by Upstate NY - May 16
8 comments

The balance of anger and fear
by Frank Schnittger - May 17
43 comments

Another NRW election
by DoDo - May 13
118 comments

Bundesrat saves PV (and loses Röttgen)
by DoDo - May 12
18 comments

SYRIZA and the Eurocrats: a letter of intent
by talos - May 9
363 comments

Recent Diaries

Socratic Economics XII: Utopian Government Finance
by Zwackus - May 25
29 comments

A Star is Born
by ChrisCook - May 23
23 comments

$1,000,000,000,00
0 or what we must remember
by Metatone - May 19
69 comments

The balance of anger and fear
by Frank Schnittger - May 17
43 comments

Stable pricing is to metaphysics as variable pricing is to...
by Upstate NY - May 16
8 comments

A little American intercine battling
by rootless2 - May 14
27 comments

Another NRW election
by DoDo - May 13
118 comments

Bundesrat saves PV (and loses Röttgen)
by DoDo - May 12
18 comments

The mainstream German Magazine Spiegel asks, has the US mixed ...
by Democrats Ramshield - May 10
27 comments

Short Term Climate Forces: Black Carbon, Methane, and...
by gmoke - May 9

Twenty days of Crisis for Cameron
by ceebs - May 9
22 comments

SYRIZA and the Eurocrats: a letter of intent
by talos - May 9
363 comments

French Parliamentary Elections: a look under the hood
by Bernard - May 8
59 comments

Sunday Train: The Rock Island Line is a Mighty Fine Iowa...
by BruceMcF - May 6
18 comments

Greece election day II - Election diary and info
by talos - May 6
129 comments

Greece: Election day I - some background
by talos - May 6

The Change They Believe In
by ARGeezer - May 5
152 comments

The Rubble Of Neoliberalism
by afew - May 3
100 comments

Why haven't we had WWIII yet?
by Migeru - Apr 30
258 comments

LQD - Locking down an American workforce
by ATinNM - Apr 28
15 comments

More Diaries...

Occasional Series

Click for full list