|
|
Article: Germany's indecisive election.
- Article from:
- Contemporary Review
- Article date:
- November 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Contemporary Review Company Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
THE September elections in Germany were unusual if not unique for five reasons that are likely to change the German political landscape. However, this does not necessarily mean a destabilization of Europe's largest democracy nor an end to political reform.
First, unlike in all previous elections, there was no clear majority to form a Government. Voters rejected Chancellor Schroder's red-green coalition of Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens without allowing Mrs Merkel to form her preferred reform-orientated centre-right coalition of her party, the Christian Democrats (CDU) including the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), and the Liberals (Free Democratic Party, ...