[Angelus Errare]

You're thinking of the far right.

The Christian Democrats are fairly close ideologically to the Republican Party. Certainly much closer than Herr Schroeder and his ilk.

[Republic of Texas]

You mean they talk about smaller government, but never actually make it smaller.

[Optimist]

What EXACTLY do the left-right designations mean in germany/europe? Which group is the more liberal/socialist? Which group is more supportive of neo-nazi/antisemit-ism

[expatpat]

No, he's thinking of the National Socialists.

[Bonaparte]

"The Christian Democrats are fairly close ideologically to the Republican Party."

The CDU wants to tighten gun control laws even more than they already are. They oppose any foreign deployment of their armed forces. They support all sorts of state pay-outs to families with children, even the continuation of pay-outs to "children" who are well into adulthood. They have completely given up on the rights of the unborn -- it's not even mentioned in their platform. Doesn't sound a whole lot like the Republican party to me.