Schröder is trounced! (He's on his way out folks)

The Week Magazine | 2-14-03 | ?

[uncbuck]

The party of German leader Gerhard Schröder lost hugely in two state elections this week, in what the chancellor called “one of the most bitter defeats I have known.” Schröder’s Social Democrats lost dozens of seats in Hesse and in his home state of Lower Saxony to the center-right Christian Democrats. The chancellor was narrowly re-elected four months ago on a platform of opposition to the war in Iraq, but his popularity has been plummeting—along with the economy—ever since. German unemployment stands at 8.5 percent, and Schröder has already broken his campaign promise not to raise taxes. “If this doesn’t make the government realize that the economy needs a jump-start,” said Saxony opposition lawmaker Christian Wulff, “then it’s really beyond help.”

[uncbuck]

Gerhard, mein fruend, das ist kaput.

[kevao]

Das ist das Ende. Das Ende.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Thu Feb 13, 7:54 AM ET

[tictoc]

unemployment stands at 8.5 percent

LOL. Official statistics peg German unemployment at 11.1 percent.

In reality it is higher because many people have given up trying to look for a job, and because the hundreds of thousands enrolled in federally funded make-work and "job retraining" schemes magically vanish from the unemployment rolls.

[spokeshave]

das Boot

[katana]

Gott in Himmel. Time to touch up mein roots.

[KriegerGeist]

I wish our U.S. troops stationed there were also on their way out...

Home would be a good start...

[hapy]

lesson to be learned

dont mess with us

[tictoc]

First Mate: You b*st*rd are going to get us all killed.

Schroeder: Be quiet Dummkopf. Mein freund Saddam will send us fresh rations. I am the Kapitän on this sub.

[kevao]

So you're not a natural blond then?

[dfwgator]

And he just lost the Turkish vote over the NATO fiasco.

[shhrubbery!]

Who is the "Margaret Thatcher of Germany" who might have a shot at replacing Schroeder (someday)?

Bridget Quinn on FoxNews alluded to this woman, but didn't elaborate.

[uncbuck]

I keep hearing rumors that the V corps may be going to Poland after the war in Iraq, instead of Deutchland.

[dighton]

I saw that yesterday, for the first time. One hell of a movie.

[tictoc]

Good theme tune, too (every time the sub breaks through the waves).

[colorado tanker]

Who is the "Margaret Thatcher of Germany" who might have a shot at replacing Schroeder (someday)?

Angela Merkel, head of the CDU.

[k2blader]

Excuse me vile I go laugh mein Hinterteile ovv!

[Consort]

Lower Saxony

[katana]

Never said I was, but the darkness of Herr Schroeder's haar seems to change on a weekly basis and has been a running joke in Germany for a couple years now.

[WaveThatFlag]

Angela Merkel, head of the CDU

Just so we're clear on this:

There will never be a "Margret Thatcher of Germany." They are unhappy with the economy. But Germany still hates the war in Iraq. And a lot of Germans still hate America. Fully 25% of the Easterners who became citizens after the reunification are members of the Communist Party.