Merkel looks to be leading German electionPolls for the parliamentary election suggested Merkel, leader of the conservative Christian Democrats, would become the nation's first female chancellor, although probably as head of a coalition government. Merkel's plan to patch up relations with Washington, which frayed after Schroeder's refusal to back the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, resonated with some voters as did her position that Turkey should not be allowed full membership in the 25-nation European Union... Stefan Deutscher, a 38-year-old business consultant voting in Berlin... blamed Merkel's Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, for the high unemployment in Germany - currently at 11.4 percent... By midafternoon, nearly 42 percent of voters had cast ballots, government spokesman Johann Hahlen said. That was slightly less than at the same point during the 2002 election... Merkel's party already controls the upper house of parliament. If it gains control of the lower house, it will be able to move ahead with proposals to streamline the tax system, make it easier for small companies to fire people and loosen the rigid labor market in a bid to tackle unemployment and the troublingly low rates of economic growth... An estimated 500,000 of the 2.6 million people of Turkish origin in Germany are German citizens with the right to vote. Turks have traditionally supported the Social Democrats, though recently they have been angered by his social welfare and unemployment reforms, which have cut benefits.
by David Rising
contributions by Vanessa Gera
Sun, Sep. 18, 2005
Can we celebrate yet? Huh? CAN WE...CAN WE?!
Yeah, exit polls.
I think I wait for the actual results before breaking out the champagne.
This is good news.
All I really know about Germany is what my son tells me -- he has been stationed there for two years and hopes to remain there another year. He loves it.
However, he says the German men are sissyboys who wear tight knit shirts, capri pants, carry purses and giggle like school girls. He said they are completely intimidated by the Turks in Germany who operate in gangs to beat up people and steal paychecks, and who have no respect for the all the things that make Germany a wonderful place.