Under Pressure (Gerhard Schroder)

Time Magazine ^ | Mar. 27, 2005 | CHARLES P. WALLACE

[GOPGuide]

Is German chancellor Gerhard Schröder's coalition government in danger of falling apart? A lot depends on negotiations this week in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, where neither the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) nor the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) managed to win a majority in a February state election.

After incumbent SPD state premier Heide Simonis failed to build a minority government, the SPD and CDU have opened talks on a possible "grand coalition." The CDU has the advantage: by walking away, it would trigger new state elections and almost certainly win. Failure to strike a deal could even force national elections — the last thing Schröder wants right now. The SPD's popularity slumped to 29% in a Forsa poll published in Stern magazine last week, while the CDU rose to 46%. Crucial elections take place on May 22 in North Rhine Westphalia, and recent polls show the SPD could lose that traditional stronghold to the CDU. Defeats in both states would give the CDU control of the upper house, the Bundesrat, putting a stranglehold on government legislation.

Still, Jürgen Falter, a political scientist at the University of Mainz, thinks Schröder and his Green partners "have absolutely no alternative" to sticking together — and hoping the economy picks up.

[GOPGuide]

Gerhard looks scared!

[GOPGuide]

There may be new elections in Schleswig-Holstein if the CDU is smart enough to wreck the negotiations for a Grand coalition with the SPD.

[Sthitch]

At this time it really does not matter which party rules Germany, it will remain a declining power. The SDU just make certain that it slips further and further faster than if the CDU ran things. It always amazes me how useless most European "conservatives" are. Few if any have far reaching ideas beyond the current socialistic status quo.

[GOPGuide]

The CDU is actually very Conservative on Immigration, Taxes, Labor Unions, and Crime. Much more so than the British Tories, or Italy under Berlusconi.

Secondly Germany is still the 3rd most powerful economy on earth, despite the fact it has barely grown in 7 years, so it's economic potential is still the best in all of Europe.

Germany could be the most powerful European nation again IF it has good leadership.

[UofORepublican]

Nobody should underestimate the ability of the CDU to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

[GOPGuide]

PING

[hispanichoosier]

While I don't agree with nearly any of its positions, a good showing by the NPD would certainly shake up the establishment in Germany.

[elhombrelibre]

I agree. A conservative in Germany is a man who'd keep the welfare state and indeed worships it as what's maintained the peace. They've no desire to take on the onerous burden of the labor laws. They are just as likely to want sweetheart deals with dictators, from Saddam to the Communist Chinese, to whom they want to sell arms. The German conservatives need a soul and a backbone.

[longjack]

German ping.

longjack

[longjack]

Thanks for the heads up GOPGuide.

I've been hoping for new elections in S-H, maybe I'll get my wish.

longjack

[free_european]

The CDU is underrated in my opinion. A CDU Kanzler in Germany would put an end to Schroder's shrill anti-Americanism.

[nkycincinnatikid]

What a portrait!

[henkster]

I agree. The CDU tone is much more rational than the German pinko party.