German Elections & Politics
       |           

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 28, 2024, 01:29:29 PM
News: Election Simulator 2.0 Released. Senate/Gubernatorial maps, proportional electoral votes, and more - Read more

  Talk Elections
  Other Elections - Analysis and Discussion
  International Elections (Moderators: afleitch, Hash)
  German Elections & Politics
« previous next »
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10 11 12 ... 176
Author Topic: German Elections & Politics  (Read 655360 times)
Tender Branson
Mark Warner 08
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 58,173
Austria


Political Matrix
E: -6.06, S: -4.84

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #150 on: December 13, 2013, 12:56:13 PM »

Apparently, about 10% of the SPD postal ballots are invalid because mandatory signatures of those who voted are missing on the envelopes:

http://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article122851861/Tausende-ungueltige-Stimmen-bei-SPD-Mitgliedervotum.html

That is kinda weird, because usually the invalid-vote even among absentee ballots is more like 1-3%.
Logged
Filuwaúrdjan
Realpolitik
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 67,609
United Kingdom


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #151 on: December 13, 2013, 01:29:44 PM »

That kind of thing is very common in mass postal balloting (i.e. for party, union, or any constitutional society elections or for strike ballots and so on). Don't read too much into it.
Logged
Franzl
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 22,254
Germany


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #152 on: December 14, 2013, 09:01:59 AM »

Breaking: 75.9% have voted in favor.

Merkel will be elected on Tuesday as Chancellor of a grand coalition.
Logged
Antonio the Sixth
Antonio V
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 57,962
United States


Political Matrix
E: -7.87, S: -3.83

P P
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #153 on: December 14, 2013, 09:17:49 AM »

Let's hope the government lives up to expectations.
Logged
DC Al Fine
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 14,085
Canada


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #154 on: December 14, 2013, 09:22:15 AM »

Boo! I wanted endless elections.
Logged
You kip if you want to...
change08
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 8,940
United Kingdom
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #155 on: December 14, 2013, 09:58:06 AM »

Probably a tactical mistake by the SPD, but hey, they'll surely do better than the FPD.
Logged
minionofmidas
Lewis Trondheim
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 58,207
India


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #156 on: December 14, 2013, 10:03:58 AM »

What!? von der Leyen to defense? Roflmao.
Logged
Middle-aged Europe
Old Europe
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 17,178
Ukraine


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #157 on: December 14, 2013, 03:44:52 PM »
« Edited: December 14, 2013, 03:48:49 PM by And Nicolas Cage as "Fu Manchu"! »

What!? von der Leyen to defense? Roflmao.

Merkel probably tries to set von der Leyen up as her hand-picked successor. After one term as family minister, one term as labour minister and one term as defence minister she will certainly have gotten around.

And it seems we're gonna be stuck with Schäuble forever.
Logged
Franknburger
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 1,401
Germany


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #158 on: December 14, 2013, 03:47:46 PM »
« Edited: December 14, 2013, 04:27:51 PM by Franknburger »

There are actually quite a number of surprises in the ministerial portfolios. Here the break-up by parties:

Chancellor - Angela Merkel
Chief of Staff -  Peter Altmaier (ex Minister of Environment)
State Minister for Migration & Integration - Aydan Özoguz

Foreign Affairs - Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Defense - Ursula von der Leyen (ex Min. of Labour)
Economic Cooperation - Hans-Peter Friedrich?

Finance - Wolfgang Schäuble
Economy (+Energy / - Communication) - Sigmar Gabriel
Trensport (+Communication / - Construction) - Alexander Dobrindt
Environment (+Construction/ - Energy) - Barbara Hendricks

Agriculture (-Consumer Protection) - ??

Interior - Lothar de Maiziere (ex Min. of Defense)
Justice (+Consumer Protection) - Heiko Maas

Labour - Andrea Nahles
Family - Manueala Schwesig

Health - Hermann Gröhe (ex CDU Secretary General)
Education & Research - Johanna Wanka?

Former Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla will leave the Cabinet for undisclosed personal reasons. Former Minister of Transport Peter Ramsauer (CSU) is rumoured to leave as well, otherwise he may take over one of the yet unassigned CSU posts.

Overall quite a success for the SPD:
- 6 out of 15 Ministers
- Represented in the Chancellery through State Minister for Migration & Integration
- Extended their portfolio at the expense of the CSU (especially transfer of consumer protection from Agriculture to Justice)

CDU also gets 6 ministers, plus the chancellor. Big loser is the CSU - down from 4 to 3 ministries, losing the prestigious Ministry of Interior, and responsibility for consumer protection. Their only consolation is to have gained responsibility for communication, so they may take up again the traditional practice of channelling contracts to Siemens, Bavaria's largest employer (argh!).

von der Leyen as Minister of Defence looks like she is being built up as Merkels' successor to take over in 2016. By that time, Wolfgang Schäuble will turn 74, and probably also leave the Cabinet. The SPD is bringing her next generation (Schwesig, Maas, Özoguz) in position, not so the CDU. The CSU is still a wildcard - let's see whether they manage to put at least one woman up for their three minister posts.
Logged
Middle-aged Europe
Old Europe
Atlas Icon
*****
Posts: 17,178
Ukraine


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #159 on: December 14, 2013, 03:51:16 PM »

Big loser is the CSU - down from 4 to 3 ministries, losing the prestigious Ministry of Interior, and responsibility for consumer protection.

CSU had three ministries before the election too.
Logged
njwes
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 532
United States


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #160 on: December 16, 2013, 08:10:58 PM »

I have to say, Ursula von der Leyen really fascinates me. A German Lutheran Ph.D involved in politics with 7 kids… that must be the German equivalent of Sasquatch, right?
Logged
Franknburger
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 1,401
Germany


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #161 on: December 17, 2013, 02:14:29 AM »

I have to say, Ursula von der Leyen really fascinates me. A German Lutheran Ph.D involved in politics with 7 kids… that must be the German equivalent of Sasquatch, right?
Don't forget her family background. Instead of Sasquatch, you better put her in a line with Benazhir Bhutto, Megawati Sukarnoputri, or Indira Ghandi. Or, if that seems culturally more adequate, compare her to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and check out CSU politician Monika Hohlmeier.

Without questioning Ursula von der Leyen's political and intellectual class, I have some doubt whether she would have made it that far without her father's reputation and networks.
Logged
Franzl
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 22,254
Germany


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #162 on: December 17, 2013, 04:40:49 AM »

462-150

Angela Merkel has been elected Chancellor, with 42 fewer votes than seats belonging to CDU/CSU and SPD.
Logged
Franzl
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 22,254
Germany


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #163 on: December 17, 2013, 08:06:24 AM »

The Chancellor and all ministers have been sworn in.

All of them, both CDU/CSU and SPD, added "so wahr mir Gott helfe" to their oath of office.
Logged
Antonio the Sixth
Antonio V
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 57,962
United States


Political Matrix
E: -7.87, S: -3.83

P P
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #164 on: December 17, 2013, 08:09:22 AM »

All of them, both CDU/CSU and SPD, added "so wahr mir Gott helfe" to their oath of office.

Ugh...
Logged
Hifly
hifly15
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 1,937


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #165 on: December 17, 2013, 02:58:14 PM »
« Edited: December 17, 2013, 02:59:57 PM by hifly15 »

All of them, both CDU/CSU and SPD, added "so wahr mir Gott helfe" to their oath of office.

Ugh...

I'm glad to say that you don't have German citizenship so this really shouldn't be an issue for you.
I also didn't know that your respect for freedom of religion was at such negligible levels.
Logged
Niemeyerite
JulioMadrid
Junior Chimp
*****
Posts: 6,803
Spain


Political Matrix
E: -8.65, S: -9.04

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #166 on: December 17, 2013, 04:30:17 PM »

All of them, both CDU/CSU and SPD, added "so wahr mir Gott helfe" to their oath of office.

Ugh...

I'm glad to say that you don't have German citizenship so this really shouldn't be an issue for you.
I also didn't know that your respect for freedom of religion was at such negligible levels.

Troll.
Logged
Lief 🗽
Lief
Atlas Legend
*****
Posts: 44,876


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #167 on: December 17, 2013, 04:55:58 PM »

Freedom of religion does not mean freedom from criticism.
Logged
Franzl
Atlas Star
*****
Posts: 22,254
Germany


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #168 on: December 17, 2013, 06:18:33 PM »

All of them, both CDU/CSU and SPD, added "so wahr mir Gott helfe" to their oath of office.

Ugh...

I'm glad to say that you don't have German citizenship so this really shouldn't be an issue for you.
I also didn't know that your respect for freedom of religion was at such negligible levels.

I'm rather ashamed that you have German citizenship.
Logged
Yeahsayyeah
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 787


Political Matrix
E: -9.25, S: -8.15

Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #169 on: December 17, 2013, 07:31:47 PM »

Maybe it tells us something about the self-confidence of the SPD ministers, that they rely on god to help them. *g* (ok, for an American conservative this would a quite common thought, but for a German center-left party?)
Logged
Filuwaúrdjan
Realpolitik
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 67,609
United Kingdom


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #170 on: December 17, 2013, 07:45:22 PM »

It's hard to think of a less relevant issue.
Logged
Antonio the Sixth
Antonio V
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 57,962
United States


Political Matrix
E: -7.87, S: -3.83

P P
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #171 on: December 18, 2013, 07:30:11 AM »

It's hard to think of a less relevant issue.

Symbols matter. Sure, they don't matter as much as facts, but they're important in that they both illustrate and reinforce mainstream social attitudes toward something (cultural hegemony, etc.).
Logged
Filuwaúrdjan
Realpolitik
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 67,609
United Kingdom


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #172 on: December 18, 2013, 11:54:14 AM »

Presumably you'd also rather they turned up for the oaths in donkey jackets?
Logged
Antonio the Sixth
Antonio V
Atlas Institution
*****
Posts: 57,962
United States


Political Matrix
E: -7.87, S: -3.83

P P
Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #173 on: December 18, 2013, 01:03:40 PM »

Presumably you'd also rather they turned up for the oaths in donkey jackets?

That would certainly be beautiful to see, yes, but let's stay realistic. Tongue
Logged
Hifly
hifly15
Jr. Member
***
Posts: 1,937


Show only this user's posts in this thread
« Reply #174 on: December 18, 2013, 01:46:15 PM »

Presumably you'd also rather they turned up for the oaths in donkey jackets?

That would certainly be beautiful to see, yes, but let's stay realistic. Tongue

This wouldn't happen because they have class.
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10 11 12 ... 176  
« previous next »
Jump to:  


Login with username, password and session length

Terms of Service - DMCA Agent and Policy - Privacy Policy and Cookies

Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines

Page created in 0.056 seconds with 12 queries.