Party Politics

I finally managed to crawl out of a translation job mired in confusion and sleepless nights.

About that same time, the German government managed to make some sense out of the recent election that was making Florida 2000 look like a high school vote. Say what you will about the Electoral College, I’ll take it before these coalition games any day.

Votes were divided by five main parties:

• CDU: 35.2%

• SPD: 34.3%

• FDP: 9.8%

• PDS: 8.7%

• Greens: 8.1%

With no party or coalition attaining a majority of the vote, chaos ensued, allowing (former) Chancellor Schroeder of the SPD party to claim the role of Chancellor (even though his party did not have a simple majority of the votes cast). His power-thirsty Schadenfreude eventually lead to his demise, but not before making a complete ass of himself. The CDU and SPD eventually formed a Grand Coalition (The SPD and CDU can be thought of as Republicans and Democrats in Germany) with the CDU receiving the Chancellorship and installing the Ossi herself, Angela Merkel as the head of the government. Of course, to receive this position, the CDU had to give up 8 of 14 Ministery positions to the SPD. Point of the story is absolutely nothing will be accomplished during this next term. The SPD, the former ruling party, will of course claim that absolutely no progress has been made by the CDU, and the SPD will once again retain the position as head of the government with the next election. The SPD plays hardball somewhat like how the Republicans play back in the States. Only their theories are drastically different.

Germany, prepare yourself for another term of fiscal irresponsibility and internal bickering. And a continued unemployment valley.