German Election Results

[Jo Sharp]

Didn't say it has anything to do with being a minority party. My point is that it is undemocratic that the parties with least votes ( Greens, Linke) end up in a position to dictate who gets to form the govt.

 

[guybat]

I now have a Die Linke MP hoorah.

 

[eisenach]

Really? So explain why the FDP dropped their vote by 60% compared to the last election and have now dropped out of parliament? If that is not vilification, then I don't know what is!

Nothing much to do with vilification, and a lot to do with the leadership of the FDP being completely out of touch, along with a smidgen of racism.

 

[Jo Sharp]

No we won't.

So how does that look now, Markus?

Got a government yet?

 

[Markus S]

Red-Red-Green still won't happen. CDU and SPD are in the bargaining phase, with the usual posturing and setting of unrealistic conditions. Target date for a decision is Dec 9th. So where's the problem?

 

[merlin]

Markus I dream of living in a country where my vote might have some influence in the make up of the government. Democracy at work.

Over here there has never been any point whatsoever in me schlepping down to the polling station. Time better spent listening to Miles.

 

[Steven Toy]

Our joyful system got a BNP twerp elected as an MEP.

The German system in the UK would have a lot more of them elected.

 

[Jo Sharp]

Red-Red-Green still won't happen. CDU and SPD are in the bargaining phase, with the usual posturing and setting of unrealistic conditions. Target date for a decision is Dec 9th. So where's the problem?

Well, the policies that the electorate voted for with one or other party, are being traded in a series of back-room deals. So you get a mess of policy that no one voted for.

 

[wacko]

I'd simply say that Germany has been, on the whole, far better governed than the UK in the post-war period, and not worry too much about the minutiae of how its governments are formed.

To be fair the Germans did offer to help us with our political system. Twice.

 

[tones]

To be fair the Germans did offer to help us with our political system. Twice.

Only once, and then only because Winne Churchill wouldn't see "reason". Kaiser Bill just wanted to knock out the French with the Schlieffen Plan, and was most annoyed when the British insisted in joining in on his crossing the Belgian frontier. Not sporting, old boy.

 

[PsB]

Well, the policies that the electorate voted for with one or other party, are being traded in a series of back-room deals. So you get a mess of policy that no one voted for.

Jo, when this process (of cutting back-room deals) goes on in Westminster it is viewed as a fine expression of the unique British ability to come to a pragmatic compromise. On the Continent, it is clearly the expression of a shifty, underhanded and possibly corrupt political system that ignores the true nature of democracy.

 

[Jo Sharp]

The SPD Party Convention will have their say on the coalition proceeding or not; then the SPD membership will be given a vote on it, which is binding if at least 20% participate; so that is approx 95,000 people who will determine the outcome of the election. Not very democratic.