The article from nola.com is a bit contradictive. In contradiction to the headline, it states:
Thematizing gender plays a role, but I think it's more at the campaign's periphery. But nevertheless, her candidature is an important breach in political traditions. Never before her, a woman was laeding one of Germany's big parties, and for the CDU it is also important that she comes from the east (CDU has its roots in the west) and that she is a protestant (CDU is the heir to political catholicism in Germany).
Scenario 2: I will vote for Mrs. Merkel, because she represents my interests/views/ideology. Hmmm...sounds like a principled position!
2. A. How do you think a socialist/leftist feminist should vote?
B. How do you think a socialist/leftist feminist will vote?
2 A) Left Party or Greens.
2 B) Left Party or Greens. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Same for quotas.
I note Merkel was attacked rather strongly for her sex by party rivals playing macho a few years ago, but she out-maneuvered the rival power group (the self-styled "Andenpakt", a group that formed on a plane en route to Pinochet's Chile...). *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.