It's probably the biggest open secret in Germany's election campaign, but chances are that Chancellor Merkel could end up leading another 'grand coalition' government after Sunday's general election. Chancellor Angela Merkel and her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) would prefer a new center-right government with the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP). It would spell the end of the four-year alliance with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD). Yet Merkel's CDU and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's SPD may find themselves embracing each other once again for lack of any other alternative after Germany's increasingly fragmented electorate gets done casting its ballots on September 27. All the more reason to review the track record of the current grand coalition government:
Chancellor Angela Merkel and her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) would prefer a new center-right government with the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP). It would spell the end of the four-year alliance with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD).
Yet Merkel's CDU and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's SPD may find themselves embracing each other once again for lack of any other alternative after Germany's increasingly fragmented electorate gets done casting its ballots on September 27.
All the more reason to review the track record of the current grand coalition government:
A music video featuring a buxom young woman singing about chancellor candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier has the German media aroused. Everyone wants to know who the mysterious "Steini Girl" is and where the video came from. Some wonder if it will turn voters off. There is no doubt that German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been called many names. After all, he's a politician. But he probably wasn't expecting to be described as "the pimp" by a buxom 22-year-old law student from the Berlin area. But that's exactly how one fan of the leader of the Social Democrats apparently sees the 53-year-old politician. And she does so in what would best be described as a "political music video" that has been doing the rounds of the German media over the past week.
A music video featuring a buxom young woman singing about chancellor candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier has the German media aroused. Everyone wants to know who the mysterious "Steini Girl" is and where the video came from. Some wonder if it will turn voters off.
There is no doubt that German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been called many names. After all, he's a politician. But he probably wasn't expecting to be described as "the pimp" by a buxom 22-year-old law student from the Berlin area. But that's exactly how one fan of the leader of the Social Democrats apparently sees the 53-year-old politician. And she does so in what would best be described as a "political music video" that has been doing the rounds of the German media over the past week.
Angela Merkel has been praised for her calm in the face of the global downturn, but she may have to be more radical to win power againThe demand to pull troops out of a distant war suddenly brought a tedious German election campaign alive three weeks ago, after a Bundeswehr officer called in an air strike that killed dozens of Afghans. But the real battleground of this election - and the one which will dictate the decision of many voters - is the stuttering economy. Germany, with France, may be leading the eurozone out of recession, but there is pervasive scepticism that better times lie ahead. What makes the voting calculation more complicated than simply left versus right, state invention versus free market, is Germany's sharp regional differentiation and the shades of political choice on offer.
The demand to pull troops out of a distant war suddenly brought a tedious German election campaign alive three weeks ago, after a Bundeswehr officer called in an air strike that killed dozens of Afghans.
But the real battleground of this election - and the one which will dictate the decision of many voters - is the stuttering economy. Germany, with France, may be leading the eurozone out of recession, but there is pervasive scepticism that better times lie ahead.
What makes the voting calculation more complicated than simply left versus right, state invention versus free market, is Germany's sharp regional differentiation and the shades of political choice on offer.
An openly gay politician who can survive the brutish ribaldry of the Munich Oktoberfest should have little trouble sitting down with the likes of Hamas, Muammar Gaddafi or other tough negotiating partners. Perhaps that was what was buzzing through Guido Westerwelle's mind yesterday as he sipped delicately from his litre of frothing beer, clearly wishing it was chilled prosecco. Mr Westerwelle, leader of the Free Democrats (FDP), is the man tipped to be Angela Merkel's Foreign Minister. The latest opinion polls suggest that a government coalition between her Christian Democrats and the smaller, liberal FDP could still be on the cards after the election on Sunday. "It went well," said a spokesman for the party after Mr Westerwelle left the beer tent to address a rally in Munich. "Serious beer drinkers are also serious voters -- and they want tax cuts as much as anyone else."
An openly gay politician who can survive the brutish ribaldry of the Munich Oktoberfest should have little trouble sitting down with the likes of Hamas, Muammar Gaddafi or other tough negotiating partners.
Perhaps that was what was buzzing through Guido Westerwelle's mind yesterday as he sipped delicately from his litre of frothing beer, clearly wishing it was chilled prosecco.
Mr Westerwelle, leader of the Free Democrats (FDP), is the man tipped to be Angela Merkel's Foreign Minister. The latest opinion polls suggest that a government coalition between her Christian Democrats and the smaller, liberal FDP could still be on the cards after the election on Sunday.
"It went well," said a spokesman for the party after Mr Westerwelle left the beer tent to address a rally in Munich. "Serious beer drinkers are also serious voters -- and they want tax cuts as much as anyone else."
Jeez, is this below the belt or what?
Interesting that the Times is making fun of Westerwelle - this guy is the staunchest Chicagoite neocon in German public life today. The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman
I doubt he'd get away with it with a british gay politician. keep to the Fen Causeway
For the record, for a liberal, Westerwelle was remarkably slow to come out -- in fact it was kind of an outing... in the wake of another forced outing, that of the CDU's mayor of Hamburg. Both of which were years after the famous coming-out of Berlin's SPD mayor, who takes his partner to public events -- if they want to talk about an openly gay German politician, talk of him. *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Same with women. Palin was more noteworthy than Ferraro, right? In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces a packed global financial agenda at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh, giving her a platform to display her leadership skills ahead of Sunday's critical general election. REUTERS - German Chancellor Angela Merkel interrupted her election campaign on Thursday and travelled to a G20 summit in the United States that she hopes will remind voters of her past triumphs on the international stage. Merkel looks on track to win a second term in a federal vote on Sunday, but needs to shore up support in the coming days to avoid being forced into another "grand coalition" with her centre-left rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD). Her goal is to form a new centre-right partnership with the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP), a coalition she says would be better placed to get Europe's largest economy revving again after its deepest recession since World War Two.
REUTERS - German Chancellor Angela Merkel interrupted her election campaign on Thursday and travelled to a G20 summit in the United States that she hopes will remind voters of her past triumphs on the international stage.
Merkel looks on track to win a second term in a federal vote on Sunday, but needs to shore up support in the coming days to avoid being forced into another "grand coalition" with her centre-left rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD).
Her goal is to form a new centre-right partnership with the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP), a coalition she says would be better placed to get Europe's largest economy revving again after its deepest recession since World War Two.
However, there is another last-minute mini-scandal for the CDU: a paper was leaked in which more police state measures were considered in the interior ministry, and even the FDP is outraged. (How this will play with the voters, though; I won't be optimistic.) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
Young people may have an important say in Portugal's election. Many are voting for the first time, and they are being wooed by all sides. However, they are traditionally left-leaning, which will please the Socialists; some prefer the conservatives; few are prepared to support the right. But as they weigh up this election, young people admit they're not usually interested in politics, and are finding it hard to make a choice. One girl said: "We don't usually pay much attention to politics, and suddenly we have to decide which candidates to vote for." Another agreed: "At our age, we don't have a clear view of politics and politicians. It's very complicated."
Young people may have an important say in Portugal's election. Many are voting for the first time, and they are being wooed by all sides. However, they are traditionally left-leaning, which will please the Socialists; some prefer the conservatives; few are prepared to support the right. But as they weigh up this election, young people admit they're not usually interested in politics, and are finding it hard to make a choice.
One girl said: "We don't usually pay much attention to politics, and suddenly we have to decide which candidates to vote for."
Another agreed: "At our age, we don't have a clear view of politics and politicians. It's very complicated."
Portugal's ruling socialists have widened their lead over their main opposition rivals ahead of Sunday's general election. It's the last day of campaigning in what's proved to be a tight race. However, three new opinion polls show prime minister Jose Socrates' socialists forging in front. In spite of that, they look almost certain to be short of an absolute majority. That could create uncertainty in Portuguese politics, particularly with next year's budget still undecided.
Portugal's ruling socialists have widened their lead over their main opposition rivals ahead of Sunday's general election.
It's the last day of campaigning in what's proved to be a tight race. However, three new opinion polls show prime minister Jose Socrates' socialists forging in front.
In spite of that, they look almost certain to be short of an absolute majority.
That could create uncertainty in Portuguese politics, particularly with next year's budget still undecided.
Remember that Herr Steinbrück is not a journalist, pundit, or back-bench maverick. He speaks officially for the German government and for the German nation on the international stage. Every assertion that he made about Britain in his interview with Stern is either factually wrong, or such a serious distortion of events that it amounts to a smear. Furthermore, it was quite threatening. What he said, in effect, is that Germany will marshal its forces to ensure that a chunk of the British economy is shut down - whatever the social consequences. This is the closest thing I have seen to a declaration of economic warfare in Western Europe in my lifetime.
Remember that Herr Steinbrück is not a journalist, pundit, or back-bench maverick. He speaks officially for the German government and for the German nation on the international stage.
Every assertion that he made about Britain in his interview with Stern is either factually wrong, or such a serious distortion of events that it amounts to a smear. Furthermore, it was quite threatening.
What he said, in effect, is that Germany will marshal its forces to ensure that a chunk of the British economy is shut down - whatever the social consequences. This is the closest thing I have seen to a declaration of economic warfare in Western Europe in my lifetime.
Mr Steinbrück subsequently engaged in a great deal of crass Keynesianism himself, as well as outright protectionism through the Deutschland Fund. If he remains in office, he will soon have to deal with the second leg of the German banking crisis that he has so artfully dodged until now . We must resist Schadenfreude when that moment comes.
Mr Steinbrück subsequently engaged in a great deal of crass Keynesianism himself, as well as outright protectionism through the Deutschland Fund. If he remains in office, he will soon have to deal with the second leg of the German banking crisis that he has so artfully dodged until now .
We must resist Schadenfreude when that moment comes.
Every assertion that he made about Britain in his interview with Stern is either factually wrong, or such a serious distortion of events that it amounts to a smear.
How many assertions over the years made in the British press about the rest of Europe have been "either factually wrong, or such a serious distortion of events that it amounts to a smear"?
(And so we see Ambrose Evans-Pritchard dive into a bullet-point fact-straightening exercise. Schadenfreude...)
Funny when the shoe's on the other foot, isn't it?
I may be old school, but I still cringe when I hear the expression "financial industry": where I come from, industry is the secondary sector, manufacturing stuff, whereas banking is part of the service sector (tertiary). Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.
crass Keynesianism
