svt.se - Förlusterna en framgång och ett problem för Merkel Bo Inge Andersson, utrikeskommentator Rapport/SVT		Losses are a victory and a problem for Merkel Bo Inge Andersson, foreign commentator Rapport/SVT
Söndagens val visar på två trender: Stöd åt förbundskansler Angela Merkels samförståndslinje men även stöd åt en mera vänsterinriktad socialdemokratisk politik.		Sunday's election shows two trends: Support for Chancellor Angela Merkel's 'co-understanding' line, but also support for a more leftist socialdemocratic politics.
De två trenderna drar åt olika håll.		The two trends are pulling in opposite directions.

This article acknowledges the internal issues in both parties, and a victory for a particular line for each: The moderate line of Merkel, and the more leftist line in SPD. I don't know why he thinks the trends pull in opposite directions. It seems that much of the right might be happy with a more moderate line, and are pleased to see some of the troubling xenophobic tendencies of their party disappear. At the same time, with more clear alternatives on the left, promising leftist economic policies on wages, pensions, unemployment, and other issues, the xenophobic lure of blaming all problems on foreigners loses its attraction for the working classes. Let's remember that xenophobic tendencies are one of the favourite ways for the right to gain votes amongst those of lesser economic means, and it seems to work much less well in a political situation with a clear, viable economically left alternative.

Rasistiska inslag

Racist elements

Elements of racism in the campaign covered. Merkel's rivalry with Koch reviewed. Predicting strengthening on Merkel's position within the CDU and a weakening of the hard right wing of Koch.

SPD:s vänsterkurs bekräftas

SPD's leftward movement proves successful

SPD's successful attempt to recover some of its leftist electorate who might view the grand coalition as pulling the party to the right. No mention of Schröder and his role on moving the party to the right. Seen as potentially reinvigorating the SPD, but possibly leading to tensions in the grand coalition.

Vänsterpartiets genombrott i väst

The Left party's breakthrough in the west.

Possible problem for the SPD with the breakthrough of Die Linke. SPD's refusal to cooperation with the party noted, but since the support might come from previous SPD voters, this too might mean a strengthening of the leftward course of the SPD.

Merkels CDU gick tillbaka i Hessen		Merkel's CDU backs in Hessen
FRANKFURT. Dött lopp och ett komplicerat politiskt läge i Hessen. Segrare är ändå s-ledaren Andrea Ypsilanti och hos kristdemokraterna på restaurang Zum Goldenen Löwen går meningarna isär om partiledaren Roland Kochs valkampanj var lyckad eller inte.		FRANKFURT. A tie, and a complicated political situation in Hessen. The victor is still Andrea Ypsilanti, and with the CDU in the restaurant Zum Goldenen Löwen they cannot agree if the election campaign of Ronald Koch was successful or not.

The correspondent of Dagens Nyheter seems to have decided to go hang out at the election night party place of the CDU. (He probably wants to make sure he would not be mixing with any dirty leftists...) There are few people present, and the few quotes of his interviewing do not put them in a very sympathetic light. One woman blames the CDU's defeat on 'meddling' by the Turks, and then remembers to add that "it's okay if they are German citizens"... Lightweight piece with no substantial analysis.

Aftonbladet: Tysk vänstervind		Aftonbladet: German leftwind
28 januari 2008 Vad betyder ett par delstatsval i Tyskland för oss i Sverige? Mer än man kan tro. Gårdagens vänsterframgångar påverkar nästa års val till förbundsdagen - och därmed maktbalansen i EU.		28 januari 2008 What does a couple of state elections mean for us in Sweden? More than one might think. The increased support of leftist parties yesterday will influence the elections next year - and therefore the balance of power in the EU.
Tysklands politiska landskap är märkligt. De röd-gröna partierna fick en klar majoritet i det senaste parlamentsvalet.		The German political landscape is bizarre. The red-green parties got a clear majority in the last parliamentary elections.

All because the SPD will not cooperate with the Left party! But how long will the SPD torture themselves in grand coalitions with the right when there is a possible majority for progressive politics?

(Aftonbladet is a left leaning paper, if you failed to guess.)

The article is mainly celebrating the failures of the right, and are not too interested in elaborating the nuances of oppositions within the CDU and end up describing Merkel as supporting Koch.

SvD » Utrikes » Oväntad seger för s i tyskt val Tomas Lundin		SvD » Foreign » Unexpected victory for S in German Elections Tomas Lundin
- Vi har i dag visat att det går att vinna val med krav på social rättvisa för alla, ropade Andrea Ypsilanti till de jublande anhängarna.		"Today we have shown that it is possible to win elections with demands of social justice for all", exclaimed Andrea Ypsilanti in front of cheering supporters.

Also this article fails to acknowledge the intra CDU conflicts and trends, describing Koch as "one of the most important party-members for Merkel's CDU"

Ypsilantis inbrytning är därmed också en seger SPD-ledaren Kurt Beck som förra hösten lade om kursen i partiet och bröt med förre förbundskanslern Gerhard Schröders svångremspolitik med sänkt a-kassa, höjda kostnader i vården och nerdragningar för pensionärer.

Ypsilantis victory is also a victory for the SPD leader, Kurt Beck, who last fall steared away from Gerhard Schröders reform politics with lowered unemployment benefits, higher fees in healthcare and lowered pensions.

Emphasis on left against right, and the implications for next year's elections. Predictions that the SPD will now have the courage to go to elections of a traditional welfare platform. Very brief mention of the gains by the Left party. No anti-left spin, dry and factual, but failing at getting to any of the nuances of intra-CDU conflicts.