Top Diaries

Below 25% would be a very poor result for the SPD, lower than what they were getting in the last polls. The result for the CDU/CSU is also bad, but with this result they should be able to form a coalition with the FDP.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:09:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Damn. My hopes were not high, but if the exit polls don't err big, there will be a comfortable margin. Everyone will forget the overhang mandate debate.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:16:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Turnout is the key part in this, I think. The SPD should have put much more resources in this.

If this holds we'll see a debate within the SPD about a change in the leadership. On Phoenix they're already speculating about Nahles and Wowereit.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:21:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I think Nahles has a lot of potential, but she'd need to grow into a true national role.

Wowereit: I have no sense on how he'd play outside of Berlin (or even if he has those kinds of ambitions). What's the local take on him?

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:30:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Wowi is popular in Berlin, and we want to keep him as mayor.

He's an excellent politician but not the sharpest analytical mind, or at least that's not how he comes across to me. Nahles also has a minor perception problem of being too much of a party operative. But she might fit well in the role of Müntefering, and Wowi might fit well in the role of Steinmeier. Of course, there would be others who aspire to that role, among them Sigmar Gabriel.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:37:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Gabriel has the ambition, but methinks he would manage to push the SPD's numbers below that of the Greens and the Left Party...

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:40:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

God knows they need a new Münte, but now that they're out in the cold I think they could use a Lafontaine-like rabble-rouser more than they could a Steinmeier. I don't think being a party operative is a disadvantage right now - however moves into the party leadership right now will need to be able to build a secure base so that they can present themselves as the head of a unified party (something e.g. Beck never got). I guess together Nahles and Wowi would be a dream team.

Gabriel - I dunno. I've heard his standard speech as Environment Minister, and he is (was, now) intelligent enough to understand the problem of climate change and make it the core of his standard pitch (although he's too politically committed to coal to acknowledge the solution). But he's not stirring.

Besides, like Steinmeier and Steinbrück, he's an old Schröderite, and the IMO the SPD needs someone new if it's going to credibly rebuild.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:54:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss?

Erleichterung bei Union, Entsetzen bei der SPD \| tagesschau.de		Erleichterung bei Union, Entsetzen bei der SPD \| tagesschau.de
Steinmeier sprach von einem "bitteren Tag für die Sozialdemokratie - da gibt es nichts drumherum zu reden". Die Ursachen müssten nun in Ruhe analysiert werden. Er kritisierte indirekt die Berichterstattung der Medien vor der Wahl - diese hätten das Wahlergebnis schon vorweggenommen. Damit habe die Partei im Wahlkampf zu kämpfen gehabt.		Steinmeier sprach von einem "bitteren Tag für die Sozialdemokratie - da gibt es nichts drumherum zu reden". Die Ursachen müssten nun in Ruhe analysiert werden. Er kritisierte indirekt die Berichterstattung der Medien vor der Wahl - diese hätten das Wahlergebnis schon vorweggenommen. Damit habe die Partei im Wahlkampf zu kämpfen gehabt.
Unter dem Beifall seiner Parteifreunde kündigte Steinmeier an, er wolle nun "Oppositionsführer" werden. Der bisherige Fraktionsvorsitzende Peter Struck hatte nicht mehr für das Parlament kandidiert. Den Wählern versprach Steienmeier, ihre Stimme für die SPD sei "nicht verloren". Die Sozialdemokraten würden nun genau darauf achten, ob die neue Regierung sich bewähre. Er habe "Zweifel, dass sie es können".		Under the applause of his fellow party members, Steinmeier announced that he now wanted to be the "leader of the opposition". Peter Struck, the present head of the parliamentary fraction, did not run for reelection. Steinmeier promised the voters that their vote for the SPD was "not lost". The Social Democrats would now carefully scrutinize the performance of the new government. He expressed "doubts that they can handle it."

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:11:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I very much doubt that someone who loses more than 10 percentage points at the polls will stay on.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:16:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Exit polls (4.00 / 3)

Maybe Schröder can get him a job with a gas pipeline...

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:26:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

This is the SPD. Not losing is not an option.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:28:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I screwed up something, didn't I? Here's the full translation.

Erleichterung bei Union, Entsetzen bei der SPD \| tagesschau.de		Union relieved, SPD horrified
Steinmeier sprach von einem "bitteren Tag für die Sozialdemokratie - da gibt es nichts drumherum zu reden". Die Ursachen müssten nun in Ruhe analysiert werden. Er kritisierte indirekt die Berichterstattung der Medien vor der Wahl - diese hätten das Wahlergebnis schon vorweggenommen. Damit habe die Partei im Wahlkampf zu kämpfen gehabt.		Steinmeier spoke of a "bitter day for Social Democracy - there is no way around that." He added that the causes would now need to be analyzed at length. He indirectly criticized the reporting in the media in the run-up to the election - they had treated the election result as a foregone conclusion. Steinmeier said that the party had labored under this in the election campaign.
Unter dem Beifall seiner Parteifreunde kündigte Steinmeier an, er wolle nun "Oppositionsführer" werden. Der bisherige Fraktionsvorsitzende Peter Struck hatte nicht mehr für das Parlament kandidiert. Den Wählern versprach Steienmeier, ihre Stimme für die SPD sei "nicht verloren". Die Sozialdemokraten würden nun genau darauf achten, ob die neue Regierung sich bewähre. Er habe "Zweifel, dass sie es können".		Under the applause of his fellow party members, Steinmeier announced that he now wanted to be the "leader of the opposition". Peter Struck, the present head of the parliamentary fraction, did not run for reelection. Steinmeier promised the voters that their vote for the SPD was "not lost". The Social Democrats would now carefully scrutinize the performance of the new government. He expressed "doubts that they can handle it."

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:23:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Gabriel can get excited in a speech, he often slams fist on the table, but he also rambles on for too long. Wowi can be rousing, but he's always controlled. What I like most is that he has a penchant for irony.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:19:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

What I like most is that he has a penchant for irony.

But is that good in the larger sense? I mean, I personally enjoy irony - I think all of us here do.

But for that very reason I fear that might make him less, not more, palatable on the national stage.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:29:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Likely. I don't know how well irony plays outside of Berlin, I live in a bubble here relative to the larger country. A highly enjoyable bubble.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:38:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The economist was pushing (none / 0)

for a FDP/CDU victory. Tells us all we need to know. Barf.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:31:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The economist was pushing (none / 1)

Notice that they totally ignore that die Linke is no longer an east only party. I'm suspicious of exit polls, particularly if there's postal voting. Any good campaign organization on the left is going to push their people to vote by post if at all possible. That way you get out the disabled and elderly, who tend to be supportive of things like pensions and government aid. Plus I wonder if there will be a large group of Hartz IV people who show up in the postal vote.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:39:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

GOTV is not only not a tradition, but sometimes illegal in Europe.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:41:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The economist was pushing (none / 1)

This I know. But there is a difference between giving someone a ride to the polling station, and encouraging them to vote by post. Regardless, I think that there is likely a demographic bias to postal voting.

Does Germany have a "day of reflection", a day in which no campaigning takes places immediately prior to the election day?

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:46:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

There used to be, but it is eroded now.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:07:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The economist was pushing (none / 0)

Everyone was on Stefan Raab's show yesterday (as four years ago). Well, everyone except Merkel and Steinmeier.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 02:17:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I didn't see that? Did Raab make them slide down the bannister in a wok or crack off-color jokes about their sex lives?

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 03:22:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The economist was pushing (none / 0)

You can read the review here.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 03:39:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The economist was pushing (none / 0)

The elderly is the only group in France where Sarko had a clear majority...

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:12:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, the "Financial Times Deutschland" would have liked a CDU-Green coalition. :)

They were very skeptical of the FDP. Promising tax cuts and a balanced budget given the budget reality sounded stupid to them. Not to mention that the FDP was the only party not reflecting on the financial crisis.

That will probably mean that the "FTD" isn´t a "serious" (economics) newspaper any longer, right?
At least for the Economist or the WSJ?

by Detlef (Detlef1961_at_yahoo_dot_de) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:41:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The FTD is definitely different from it's mother the FT, too. Economic liberal, but more modern and broad-sighted.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:47:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The economist was pushing (none / 1)

Right.
I do remember some editorials and opinion pieces there which quite openly ridiculed its "mother", the FT.

by Detlef (Detlef1961_at_yahoo_dot_de) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:54:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The overhang seat debate is alive! In Schleswig-Holstein.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 02:10:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Schleswig-Holstein regional elections exit poll (none / 1)

Party	%	+/-
CDU	31.0%	-9.2
SPD	25.5%	-13.2
FDP	15.5%	+8.9
Greens	12.0%	+5.8
Left Party	6.5%	+5.7
SSW (Danish minority)	4.0%	+0.4

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:09:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Schleswig-Holstein regional elections (none / 1)

Now this is the one light in the shadow from my view point. The four left-leaning parties [including the Danish minority party] prevented a CDU+FDP majority.

Oh, and the Left Party made it into the fourth non-city-state West German regional parliament -- four more remain. (Oh, and on the other side, the Greens made it in another East German state in Brandenburg -- some Reunification.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:26:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Schleswig-Holstein update (4.00 / 2)

ARD 21:40:

Party	%	+-
CDU	31.5%	-8.7
SPD	25.4%	-13.3
FDP	15.1%	+8.5
Greens	12.1%	+5.9
Left Party	6.0%	+5.2
SSW (Danish minority)	4.4%	+0.8

ZDF 21:21:

Party	%	+-
CDU	31.4%	-8.8
SPD	25.7%	-13.0
FDP	14.9%	+8.3
Greens	12.1%	+5.9
Left Party	6.3%	+5.5
SSW (Danish minority)	4.0%	+0.4

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 03:58:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Schleswig-Holstein update (none / 0)

ARD 22:07:

Party	Seats	+-
CDU	30	+/-0
SPD	23	-6
FDP	13	+9
Greens	11	+7
Left Party	5	+5
SSW (Danish minority)	3	+1

ZDF 22:13:

Party	Seats	+-
CDU	29	-1
SPD	22	-7
FDP	12	+8
Greens	10	+6
Left Party	5	+5
SSW (Danish minority)	3	+1

In both projections, CDU+FDP would have a majority of one only thanks to the local rules overhang mandates that were legally challenged.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:30:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Huge losses for SPD.

If CDU/CSU+FDP does not gain a majority will the SPD be up for another great coalition?

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

by A swedish kind of death on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:12:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yes, I think so. But right now it looks like a CDU/FDP coalition will get through.

btw: the Pirate Party is getting 2% in the ARD exit poll.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:16:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks for telling me :)

2% is a good result for a first federal election.

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

by A swedish kind of death on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:44:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Brandenburg regional elections exit poll (4.00 / 2)

Party	%	+/-
SPD	31.5%	-0.4
Left Party	27.5%	-0.5
CDU	21.5%	+2.1
FDP	8.0%	+4.7
Greens	5.5%	+1.9
DVU (far right)	1.0%	-5.1
NPD (even more far right)	? ("fails 5%")	+?

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:14:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brandenburg regional elections exit poll (none / 0)

Matthias Platzeck will continue with the Grand Coalition in Brandenburg as before -- and, unless the far right voters refused to answer exit pollsters, the far right is out! (But I don't get why rbb/ARD won't give figures for NPD.)

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:19:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brandenburg regional elections exit poll (none / 1)

I'd rule it in the realm of the impossible that the infighting with the DVÜ got them the 5.1% that the DVÜ lost. Also look at the percentages that the other parties are getting, which are not covered by the small loss of the SPD and Linke.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:24:39 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brandenburg regional elections exit poll (none / 1)

Apparently the Tagesschau is saying that the NPD got 2.5%.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:26:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Brandenburg regional elections exit poll (none / 1)

The article did say that the NPD failed the 5% limit, and the other numbers add up to 95%, but there was no figure. Thanks for spotting it at ARD.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:27:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Brandenburg update (none / 1)

ARD 21:37:

Party	%	+-
SPD	33.0%	+1.1
Left Party	27.3%	-0.7
CDU	19.7%	+0.3
FDP	7.3%	+4.0
Greens	5.4%	+1.8
DVU (far right)	1.2%	-4.9
NPD (even more far right)	?	+?

ZDF 21:18:

Party	%	+-
SPD	32.5%	+0.6
Left Party	27.9%	-0.1
CDU	20.0%	+0.6
FDP	7.1%	+3.8
Greens	5.1%	+1.5
DVU (far right)	?	?
NPD (even more far right)	?	?

Platzeck may choose to drop the CDU and coalition with the Left Party. Would be clever thinking of the Bundesrat.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:07:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Exit polls (4.00 / 6)

All I can say (besides a declaration of nausea) is that this sure is a funny moment in history to be electing a small-government, tax-cutting coalition.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:33:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

What I don't get is former SPD voters who stay home.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:37:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ho much of that could be (none / 0)

hostility to "communist" Link Partei, or "hippie" Greens, ie, accepting the common wisdom that these are unacceptable, extremist parties?

It should not apply to the Greens at all anymore (but maybe they are seen as jobs-unfriendly with the green policies?), but it might still prevent votes from going to Links?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:43:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ho much of that could be (none / 1)

The Greens are increasingly being seen as a party of relatively well-off urbanites with relatively little social competence.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:01:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ho much of that could be (4.00 / 4)

Difficult question about "The Left".

I think it´s a mixture right now.

Some SPD members/voters probably are still angry about Lafontaine´s "departure".
In some/most West German states "The Left" consists mostly of former SPD members and union members so it seems unlikely that they themselves would be seen as extremist. Some "memory" of the old East German "SED" though probably still remains.
They wanted to establish the party everywhere in Germany as fast as possible. So in some regions the party organization includes (or included) a pretty high number of former (West German) communists. These small organized groups could get a majority locally. (And these remaining West German communists are hardcore.)

Anyway the Greens needed roughly 20 years. First outsiders, then coalition partners at state level. And finally coalition partners at federal level. Always with the SPD back then.
And now coalition partner with the CDU at local and state level too.

"The Left" are a pretty "new" party. Only a few years old. And there are already red-red coalitions in Eastern Germany at the state level. The next step might be one in Western Germany.

by Detlef (Detlef1961_at_yahoo_dot_de) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:20:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ho much of that could be (4.00 / 2)

Understanding Linke is realizing there is not one house. The west version is very different from the East version. You could even make the argument that there's a third house, the LaFontaine house. But i am certain that a great minority of their votes were protest votes.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

by Crazy Horse on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 04:35:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The party has been in government for 11 years and hasn't waged the clearest of campaigns, so I do get it. As Jerome indicates, the Left is seen as either too extreme or as dirty because of implied ties to the former East German regime, and the Greens are positioning themselves as a bourgeouis party too much.

There's little motivation among SPD voters and little desire to go elsewhere, and apparently little organisational attention from the SPD to get people to vote.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:55:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I still don't get why the part of the SPD electorate that dislikes the Greens and the Left Party for the reasons you name isn't at least afraid of the FDP.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:00:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Exit polls (4.00 / 8)

Obviously the FDP doesn't campaign on the things it intends to do to workers, and the other parties haven't done enough to communicate how bad a CDU/FDP government would be. The main thing the Greens campaigned on against 'Schwarz Gelb' was nuclear energy, and the Left were mainly playing up their own overton window effect, whereas the SPD campaign was unfocused.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:08:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Lesser-evilism oly gets you so far. And if voting for the SPD will result in another Grand Coalition and Third-Way business-as-usual, why bother?

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Sep 28th, 2009 at 04:17:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

I wonder what the weather is like in Germany right now. Sometimes low turnout can be explained by something as simple as rain or cold weather. Particularly for elderly voters, and less so for those without vehicles.

And I'll give my consent to any government that does not deny a man a living wage-Billy Bragg

by ManfromMiddletown (manfrommiddletown at lycos dot com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:43:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It was sunny. And there is actually an opposite effect common in Europe: on a sunny Sunday, people might rather go on a full-day excursion...

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:58:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The weather's fantastic today.

At least something is.

The fact is that what we're experiencing right now is a top-down disaster. -Paul Krugman

by dvx (dvx.clt ät gmail dotcom) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:59:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

small government is ALWAYS the answer! (4.00 / 2)

A center-right alliance led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared on course for a narrow victory in Germany's national elections Sunday, potentially putting it in a position to relaunch Germany's stalled economic overhaul at a time of growing demands for Europe's biggest economy to do more for global growth.
Ms. Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union and its pro-business ally, the Free Democratic Party, were set to win a slim majority in Germany's lower house of parliament, according to early exit polls.

See - the WSJ says so...

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 12:47:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

My main hope in that article (4.00 / 2)

is Josef Joffe. :)

"The national mood and the whole party spectrum has shifted to the left," says Josef Joffe, one of Germany's leading political commentators, who teaches international studies at Stanford University and publishes German weekly newspaper Die Zeit.
"Neither the FDP nor the CDU will attack the kind of issues that Germany needs to attack, to get off its sclerotic average economic growth of 1.5% in the last decade," Mr. Joffe says.

And yes, I can´t stand him! He´s a neo-con and an id*ot.
But I sure hope he is right here. :)

by Detlef (Detlef1961_at_yahoo_dot_de) on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 05:05:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Exit polls (4.00 / 3)

Is it me, or doe sit look awful?
well, maybe Germany will not change policy after all, but I do not count on that.

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:01:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Awful. And the updated projections don't look any better.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Sun Sep 27th, 2009 at 01:09:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]