Elections South of the Veal Sausage Equator | 37 comments (37 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Gesine's Swan Song? (4.00 / 5)

An interesting element of the Bavarian elections is the angle of Presidential politics. On the 23rd of May 2009, Germany will elect a new president.

The presidency of Germany is completely unlike that of the USA, or France. It's mostly a symbolic post. But it does carry - symbolic - importance. Germany's presidents have delivered some of the most important political speeches in German post-war history.

There is no direct vote for the President; they are elected by the 'Bundesversammlung', which is constituted by the parliamentarians in the Bundestag and representatives from (or people picked by) the local state parliaments.

The hypothetical composition of this body on the 23rd of May is, then, of great interest. The election will once again be a contest between Gesine Schwan and Horst Köhler. Last time, Köhler got a 1-vote majority.

And as DoDo wrote a few months ago:

European Tribune - Challenging a President

Something the CDU/CSU does, too. They are very angry [...] the situation is that the President will be chosen next year, but after the Bavaria state elections in a few months, the CDU+CSU+FDP majority behind Köhler will likely end.

However, the lacklustre performance of the SPD means that this will only happen if the Left Party gets into the Landtag. See the projections on wahlrecht.de. Currently, ARD is projecting that they will get 4,4%; ZDF 4.8%. Exciting!

(europauni/flickr.com)

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 28th, 2008 at 02:17:09 PM EST

Re: Gesine's Swan Song? (none / 1)

No luck: unless a much higher percentage of letter votes was for the Left Party, they are below the threshold...

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 28th, 2008 at 05:57:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Gesine's Swan Song? (4.00 / 2)

And that means Köhler will be the favourite in May. Still a few things that could happen, and it's a secret ballot, but defeating him looks difficult now.

In other, more minor news, there were local elections across Brandenburg today which resulted in the CDU on average losing over seven percentage points across the state, and the SPD and Linke both gaining. Results are not yet complete.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 28th, 2008 at 06:44:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Gesine's Swan Song? (none / 1)

What about the far-right? Read of any local successes?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 28th, 2008 at 06:49:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Gesine's Swan Song? (4.00 / 2)

They got into the Cottbus council, but just barely (there's a lower threshold - I think 3%). No big general successes that I know of. But it's too early.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 28th, 2008 at 07:35:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Bundesrat/coalitons (none / 1)

Now, while Köhler has his majority, the Grand Coalition parties are losing their majority in the upper house (Bundesrat). And the FDP, the CSU's likely Bavarian coalition partner, is threatening to block Grand Coalition legislation (which they could do if they do get into the government).

At the same time, the Bavarian SPD is at least doing as if they think there is some chance of a coalition without the CSU (E.g. SPD+Greens+FDP+Free Voters).

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 06:46:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bundesrat/coalitons (none / 0)

Who are the 'Free Voters' and what do they want?

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

by A swedish kind of death on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 11:22:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bundesrat/coalitons (none / 0)

Basically, a state-wide association of independents. You can run in German elections without being a party -- being a civic initiative is enough, and if enough of these allies themselves across several election districts, they can run a 'party' list, too. There are local Free Voters' groups at several places, and they had some successes in local elections, but this is the first time they made it in a regional (state) election.

For more, see discussion in yesterday's OT.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Mon Sep 29th, 2008 at 11:46:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Elections South of the Veal Sausage Equator | 37 comments (37 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Top Diaries

City Agriculture - March 17, 2023

What's Next, After the Slam?

Shock Election Loss Rutte IV In Senate Race

Honduras Establishes Close Ties with China

A Return to Normalcy?

A Grand Slam for Ireland?

Recent Diaries

History Hillsdale College, Alumni and Domestic Terror

Struggle NWO Unipolar or Multilateralism

Neo-Nazi Marches Across Europe

Fascism Unites America, Israel and EU Neo-Nazis

What's Next, After the Slam?

Settler Extremism Blessed by Jerusalem Leaders

US Interference In Lebanon-Syria-Ira
q

City Agriculture - March 17, 2023

Shock Election Loss Rutte IV In Senate Race

Stalemate Endures, Pessimism Grows, Deaths Mount

Honduras Establishes Close Ties with China

A Grand Slam for Ireland?

Living In Spain and Social-Democracy

USA Censorship Act to Kill Disinformation

Flying Fortresses and Nuclear Threat

Universal Criticism Asylum Threshold EU Fortress

China Trade and Relations

SBU As a Terror Network

A Return to Normalcy?

Georgia and Foreign Agents or Spy Law

Occasional Series