Comments on: Random thoughts on the recent German election

By: Wim Roffel

Wim Roffel — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:09:16 +0000

Here in Holland the Social-democrats are really imploding. At the moment they still have 33 seats in parliament (of 150), but the polls put them now at 20.

I am not in favor of grand coalitions. It leaves for the voters who don’t like the government only the outsider parties to choose. I think it is better when the traditional parties form coalitions with the newcomers at their side of political spectrum.

By: Ayn Onemous

Ayn Onemous — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:41:19 +0000

If you want a non-boring leader, go to Italy. There is no end of excitement under Silvio! Also no end of bad government and it’s a good idea to lock up your daughters when the PM is in town, but hey-it’s not boring!

By: Robert Dudek

Robert Dudek — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:51:03 +0000

“A friend and I recently went down the list of G20 leaders and concluded that she was the single most boring individual on it.”

Was Stephen Harper the 2nd most boring?

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:06:04 +0000

Doug Merrill: I think you just helped to make my point!

And I’m not necessarily looking for charisma in a leader, henrydiez makes a good point. However, in the case of Harper, I do not think he is a good leader at all.

By: henrydiez

henrydiez — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:41:48 +0000

You may find Mrs Merkel boring, but let me tell you, from where I stand (Spain), she is the epitome of common sense and good goverment.

By: Doug Merrill

Doug Merrill — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:11:10 +0000

Canada has a prime minister? Who knew?

By: Marcellina

Marcellina — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 14:08:10 +0000

The weather: sure it kept people it away. It was so damn gorgeous that everyone in Bavaria was either at Oktoberfest or out on Starnberger See.

By: Oliver

Oliver — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:05:14 +0000

The SPD is not only a party of old members but of old voters. It peaks among pensioners:

http://www.tagesschau.de/wahl/aktuell/wahlanalyse104.html

And that shows. I agree that they have to try to reunite with the Left. But it’ll cost them. Too many old voters are too wedded to anticommunism to swallow this. Thus they are very unlikely to win the first vote they are ready to cooperate with the Left. You can count them out for a decade if they survive at all.

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:01:25 +0000

Re boring leaders without charisma, you haven’t seen much of Canada’s Harper, have you?!

By: thorsten

thorsten — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:47:42 +0000

it is clear that the SPD is simply an old-man’s party. they have no youthful elan, they are an utter bygone.
the Link party is the dark secret in this election. they have risen from the dirt of their GDR history, for some. the success of the Links are the reason, primarily, that the SPD did so terrible. many also boycotted.

what does this mean?

the social parties, Links SPD, etc, have to reunite to win next time.

In reality, this may be impossible, because the social parties have been destroying one another for the last 10 years, breaking apart, collapsing, radicalizing. radicalism on the left is the best example of the future of social parties. the CDU is taking the lead in dealing with these problems and will not be easily overcome because of their comprehensive vision. only if the FDP gets the CDU into trouble – very likely – , will the SPD climb from their hole.

the game of social parties has been taken over by the CDU-CSU. if the FDP screws up this game, the SDP has a chance, in 4 years.
Perhaps we’ll have an SPD – Links gov. in 4 years, this all depends on the success of the CDU-FDP.