Election in Germany

As the largest economy and political player in Europe, Deutschland will soon have a new Chancellor. After 16 years Angela Merkel is not standing for election this year. Both Germany and Europe are going to miss her steady hand as she worked through a variety of crises from economic (2008 and PIIGS), domestic and international, not to mention COVID in the last year plus. Basically, she has seen through Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden. So the big question is who is going to take over?

Armin Laschet is the CDU candidate (Merkel's party) and he definitely had the inside track. But has acted and run a campaign like it is his right to be Chancellor. He is a buffoon an is completely in cahoots with big business. All the trust people had in Merkel is the equivalent people don't have in him. More than 70% of Germans do NOT want him to be Chancellor, and over 50% of his own party agree with that. In the last couple of weeks his entire campaign is vote for me to avoid a jump to the left (nudge nudge those commie socialist bastards).

So who is he talking about? Well one part is the Green party whose candidate, Annalena Baerbock, at one point in the polls (early May) was leading the race. She is fairly young and is an outsider with big ideas for change and improvement. And that was her downfall, wanting change. The media and her critics were quick to tear her down and she has settled to third place in the polls.

The remaining candidate is Olaf Scholz of the SPD. After the last election, the SPD was left for dead, but here they are. Everyone has been making fun of Scholz and reviewing his past for four years now, and basically there are no new media created “scandals” left to report in contrast to Baerbock above. He has actually been running as the steady hand that follows Merkel and letting Laschet be the clown that he is. It is an interesting strategy and seems to be working.

Who will it be? It could take a while after the election (Sunday the 26th) to figure out who the ruling coalition will be. SPD and Green have said they would work together. Those two together with the Linke (the left) party may have had enough seats, but Scholz ruled them out because they want out of NATO (and all wars). Thankfully everyone is still promising to keep the AfD (right-wing extremists) out of a ruling coalition, but their 10% makes it hard for other parties to form one.

One thing is certain, Germany, Europe and the world are going to miss Mrs. Merkel.

Great post Goob.

Interesting subject indeed... who will be seen as the European leader if not the new German Chancellor? I contend that we'd all be better off if our leaders (conservative and progressive alike) were the kind of people who could understand quantum mechanics. Alas, in the USA that'd be a mark against you.

Rick Saunders wrote:Great post Goob.

Interesting subject indeed... who will be seen as the European leader if not the new German Chancellor? I contend that we'd all be better off if our leaders (conservative and progressive alike) were the kind of people who could understand quantum mechanics. Alas, in the USA that'd be a mark against you.

Quantum Mechanics? We Muricans don't like elitist like that. We like a candidate you can have a beer with or at least acts like it in the most thinly veiled, borderline insulting facade possible. Can your quantum mechanic do that? Probably can't even change his own tire, which as you obviously know, is greatly relevant to a political position.

Thanks. I like the addition to these boards.

Rick Saunders wrote:Great post Goob.

Interesting subject indeed... who will be seen as the European leader if not the new German Chancellor? I contend that we'd all be better off if our leaders (conservative and progressive alike) were the kind of people who could understand quantum mechanics. Alas, in the USA that'd be a mark against you.

Too bad we sights our a lot lower and elect people who believe in revolutionary war airports.

I wonder what candidate is winning the “chancellor you’d most like to get a stein with” contest.

steveschneider wrote:I wonder what candidate is winning the “chancellor you’d most like to get a stein with” contest.

Maybe a couple with Baerbock and then she would do something she would regret.

So the AfD has basically gone full on dog-whistling the week before the election. In the picture below it says:

- I think our retirement belongs to us and not the entire world.
- Solidarity needs borders.
- Germany but normal.

Worst thing is, I found this billboard on a street with many immigrant shops. So as they come out they have to see this $hit. I think it is more to provoke/intimidate them than it is to collect votes.

Right now, the FDP (equivalent to the corporate Republicans) and the AfD (racist Trump Republicans) are both battling for 4th place. If the FDP manages to hold on, they will play a huge role in selecting the next Chancellor.

gomersbro wrote:So the AfD has basically gone full on dog-whistling the week before the election. In the picture below it says:

- I think our retirement belongs to us and not the entire world.
- Solidarity needs borders.
- Germany but normal.

Worst thing is, I found this billboard on a street with many immigrant shops. So as they come out they have to see this $hit. I think it is more to provoke/intimidate them than it is to collect votes.

Right now, the FDP (equivalent to the corporate Republicans) and the AfD (racist Trump Republicans) are both battling for 4th place. If the FDP manages to hold on, they will play a huge role in selecting the next Chancellor.

Scary shit. Thanks for posting.

gomersbro wrote:So the AfD has basically gone full on dog-whistling the week before the election. In the picture below it says:

- I think our retirement belongs to us and not the entire world.
- Solidarity needs borders.
- Germany but normal.

Worst thing is, I found this billboard on a street with many immigrant shops. So as they come out they have to see this $hit. I think it is more to provoke/intimidate them than it is to collect votes.

Right now, the FDP (equivalent to the corporate Republicans) and the AfD (racist Trump Republicans) are both battling for 4th place. If the FDP manages to hold on, they will play a huge role in selecting the next Chancellor.

What could possibly go wrong with such thinking in Germany?

I appreciate the posts, gomersbro. There isn't always a ton of international talk on here, but I enjoy seeing some of these perspectives.