No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? (with poll) | 25 comments (25 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (4.00 / 2)

As far as I can see Wowi and Steinmeier are both damaged goods as well. Wowi lost the suit of Berlin against the federal government for aid in reducing the deficit and IMO made a mistake in going into a unstable second red-red coalition instead of opting for red-green. Politically it made some sense, but in terms of policy and governance, not so much.

Steinmeier still has to face some questions on the case of Murat Kurnaz.

Merkel, by the way, has an approval rating at mid-time of 76% (de). If nothing major (very, very major) changes, this means that the SPD can't fight the next elections on personality, as they did with the last.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Mon Sep 3rd, 2007 at 09:56:39 AM EST

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (4.00 / 3)

the SPD can't fight the next elections on personality
As I've tried to show, it's not a promising way to win, but I also don't think they can fight successfully on policy issues without blowing up the coalition. They can't really go to the left, so they are stuck in mostly the same positions the CDU has.
At the moment, I'm watching the book presentation of Platzeck, Steinbrück and Steinmeier (the "Schröder reforms wing"). More here.

"If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles." Sun Tzu

by Turambar (sersguenda at hotmail com) on Mon Sep 3rd, 2007 at 11:43:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (none / 1)

Can they then blow up the coalition and win?

Sweden's finest (and perhaps only) collaborative, leftist e-newspaper Synapze.se

by A swedish kind of death on Mon Sep 3rd, 2007 at 12:23:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (4.00 / 4)

After Schröder had to call for new elections in 2005, it wouldn't go down well in the public if the SPD is seen as deliberately giving up the government AGAIN. It would have to be about a very popular and divisive issue where the SPD can get more support for its side AND they'd have to put the blame on Merkel somehow. Not exactly promising either.

"If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles." Sun Tzu

by Turambar (sersguenda at hotmail com) on Tue Sep 4th, 2007 at 02:28:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (4.00 / 2)

Willy Brandt Haus, right? I considered going there as well, but didn't. What was the presentation like, any lively debate?

There are, I think, plenty of issues on which the SPD can define itself separately from the CDU, transparantly fight a battle and come to a decent compromise. The minimum wage issue was one where I think they did it quite successfully. They should seek out further issues, like, say, free university tuition.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 4th, 2007 at 08:50:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (4.00 / 4)

The debate was quite interesting. Hans-Jochen Vogel was presenting the book and critizised some things about the concept "vorsorgender Sozialstaat". Müntefering and Nahles were there, Beck was mentioned a lot, all in all it made me a little more hopeful about "defining the party separately".

I wasn't there, btw, I watched it on Phoenix. I'm not in Berlin and no SPD member.

"If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles." Sun Tzu

by Turambar (sersguenda at hotmail com) on Tue Sep 4th, 2007 at 09:29:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (4.00 / 2)

Thanks.

I don't think you had to be a SPD member to get in, though maybe you'd have to register in advance. I'm not SPD either (don't even know if I could be as a foreigner, and anyway, I'm more sympathetic towards the greens).

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Tue Sep 4th, 2007 at 09:39:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? ( (none / 1)

more sympathetic towards the greens
Yup, me too.

"If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles." Sun Tzu

by Turambar (sersguenda at hotmail com) on Wed Sep 5th, 2007 at 01:00:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]

No German Idol: who can beat Merkel in 2009? (with poll) | 25 comments (25 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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