🇩🇪 German elections (federal & EU level)

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CDU politician Ulrich Thomas, member of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, ignited a debate about his party's approach to the AfD some weeks ago, calling for a CDU-AfD coalition in 2021 providing the liberal forces within the AfD prevail.
Ulrich Thomas and one of his party members, Lars-Jörn Zimmer, authored an eight-page exposé, requesting that thier party "reconcile the social with the national" (sic!).
According to them, the CDU is still preponderantly conservative, their voters have a craving for the defense of their homeland, their party ought to meet multicultural movements head-on, the uncontrolled leads to an increase in brutal criminality, and the coal phase-out gave the industry, the agriculture and the mobility in Germany their quietus.

Thereby, they did not only take issue with the federal chairwoman AKK, but also with the state chairman Holger Stahlknecht, both of whom flatly oppose a coalition with the AfD.

[President Johnson]

Another candidate has jumped into the race for SPD leader. Robert Maier, businessman and vice president of the SPD economic forum, has decalred his candidacy. He's opposed to a further drift towards the left, wants to focus on digitization and innovation. He also wants to address immigration in a different fashion and it seems to be a tougher stance.

I didn't know him before, but it looks like he's the kind of guy I'm voting for in the membership election. I certainly like his approach to a number of issues and that he has a business background. But I have no idea how well he'd actually do, probably he won't win. Most of the other candidates aren't that exciting so far.

https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/spd-vorsitz-maier-kandidatur-101.html

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Another candidate has jumped into the race for SPD leader. Robert Maier, businessman and vice president of the SPD economic forum, has decalred his candidacy. He's opposed to a further drift towards the left, wants to focus on digitization and innovation. He also wants to address immigration in a different fashion and it seems to be a tougher stance.

I didn't know him before, but it looks like he's the kind of guy I'm voting for in the membership election. I certainly like his approach to a number of issues and that he has a business background. But I have no idea how well he'd actually do, probably he won't win. Most of the other candidates aren't that exciting so far.

https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/spd-vorsitz-maier-kandidatur-101.html

It should be mentioned that single candidates or duos may enter the primary for the chairmanship.
There are four teams or single candidates so far:

• Michael Roth (parliamentary undersecretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) & Christina Kampmann (former family minister of North Rhine-Westphalia)
• Karl Lauterbach (member of the Bundestag and Germany's most prominent health economist) & Nina Scheer (member of the Bundestag and environmental politician)
• Simone Lange (Mayor of Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein - 90,000 citizens) & Alexander Ahrens (Mayor of Bautzen, Saxony - 39,000 citizens)
  
• Robert Maier (single contender, entrepreneur, co-founder of the SPD's economic forum, conservative on issues of economy, migration and inner security)

Simone Lange, a fairly left-wing politician who joined the socialist collective movement Aufstehen initiated by Sahra Wagenknecht, already challenged Andrea Nahles in April 2018 and received considerable 27% of the vote in the election for the chairmanship.

Further chair hopefuls can put in an application by September, along with the endorsement of fie chapters withal.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Steinmeier's deputy Bundesrat President Daniel Günther Schleswig-Holstein Governor Günther's deputy Berlin Mayor Michael Müller bestowed the certificate of discharge upon Ursula von der Leyen and proceeded to hand over the certificate of appointment to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, plus he delivered a birthday greeting to Chancellor Angela Merkel.
While Müller delivered a fulsome speech for Uschi at Bellevue Palace, he had only some motherhood statements spare for AKK, which says it all.
AKK, however, hasn't occupied her new post yet, as she yet has to be sworn in by Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble in the Reichstag.

And to answer the most important question: Yes, all three women were sitting during Müller's speech.

For those interested: AKK was sworn in as defense minister two weeks ago. That event was highly controversial as there was no constitutional need for that premature oath. She could have waited till September, when the Bundestag meets again, but no, AKK likes to claim attention.
Instead, all the Bundestag members, who were on parliamentary vacation, were summoned to attend her swearing-in. Furthermore, the whole improvised ceremony took place in the
Paul Löbe House north of the Reichstag, where all the parliamentarians had to watch the play while standing up in the tropical heat because the plenary hall was being renovated. The whole brouhaha cost the taxpayer around $100,000.
And let's not forget: AKK has reneged on the pledge she took during her chairwoman election campaign that she was going to spurn any ministerial office. 😒

And here's the poll I've already posted above:
Only 16% of the voters approve of AKK's occupation of the Ministry of Defense.
Even Uschi, who the people thought was not capable of holding that same office, was at least equally tied between supporters and opponents in 2013.

[Beezer]

Stellar choice by Merkel. Once again she has shown everyone what a political genius she is.

[Beezer]

My guess is that after the east German elections we will see the first SPD single digit polls.

[President Johnson]

As I've said earlier, AKK is an abhorrent pick for defense. She has zero credentials in defense policy and now she is all of a sudden supposed fix the mess Fliten Uschi has left and got rewarded for with the presidency of the European commission? While at the same time effectively running the CDU (into the ground)? Give me a break. Maybe we should hire actual high ranking personell out of the military instead of political hacks? The same at commerce, I'd like to have someone with business experience there while a union leader at the labor ministry. And then all these political masterminds wonder why their poling numbers are so low? Maybe they should waste the millions of dollars on consultants telling them this instead of what kind of furniture military bases need?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

As I've said earlier, AKK is an abhorrent pick for defense. She has zero credentials in defense policy and now she is all of a sudden supposed fix the mess Fliten Uschi has left and got rewarded for with the presidency of the European commission? While at the same time effectively running the CDU (into the ground)? Give me a break. Maybe we should hire actual high ranking personell out of the military instead of political hacks? The same at commerce, I'd like to have someone with business experience there while a union leader at the labor ministry. And then all these political masterminds wonder why their poling numbers are so low? Maybe they should waste the millions of dollars on consultants telling them this instead of what kind of furniture military bases need?

Oh, be glad that you don't live in Schleswig-Holstein; you will explode when you hear of our personnel...

Monika Heinold (Greens): finance minister since 2012. Occupation: kindergarten teacher
Anke Spoorendonk (SSW): justice minister from 2012 to 2017. Occupation: German and history teacher at a Danish school

[President Johnson]

As I've said earlier, AKK is an abhorrent pick for defense. She has zero credentials in defense policy and now she is all of a sudden supposed fix the mess Fliten Uschi has left and got rewarded for with the presidency of the European commission? While at the same time effectively running the CDU (into the ground)? Give me a break. Maybe we should hire actual high ranking personell out of the military instead of political hacks? The same at commerce, I'd like to have someone with business experience there while a union leader at the labor ministry. And then all these political masterminds wonder why their poling numbers are so low? Maybe they should waste the millions of dollars on consultants telling them this instead of what kind of furniture military bases need?

Oh, be glad that you don't live in Schleswig-Holstein; you will explode when you hear of our personnel...

Monika Heinold (Greens): finance minister since 2012. Occupation: kindergarten teacher
Anke Spoorendonk (SSW): justice minister from 2012 to 2017. Occupation: German and history teacher at a Danish school

We got this genius Winfried Hermann (Greens) as tranportation minister, who is easily the worst in the country. And our eductation minister is a joke as well.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

As I've said earlier, AKK is an abhorrent pick for defense. She has zero credentials in defense policy and now she is all of a sudden supposed fix the mess Fliten Uschi has left and got rewarded for with the presidency of the European commission? While at the same time effectively running the CDU (into the ground)? Give me a break. Maybe we should hire actual high ranking personell out of the military instead of political hacks? The same at commerce, I'd like to have someone with business experience there while a union leader at the labor ministry. And then all these political masterminds wonder why their poling numbers are so low? Maybe they should waste the millions of dollars on consultants telling them this instead of what kind of furniture military bases need?

There are also some memes making the rounds on the social media platforms about Merkel's personnel choice for defense minister:

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

By the way, how are the elections in the SPD going? Do media even care?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

By the way, how are the elections in the SPD going? Do media even care?

Oh, yes. Every time a new chair hopeful chimes in, the media report about it.
But the CDU, AfD and the Greens are in their main focus, of course. (And currently also the CSU, whose chairman recently presses for a constitutional amendment concerning environment protection.)

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

By the way, how are the elections in the SPD going? Do media even care?

Oh, yes. Every time a new chair hopeful chimes in, the media report about it.
But the CDU, AfD and the Greens are in their main focus, of course. (And currently also the CSU, whose chairman recently presses for a constitutional amendment concerning environment protection.)

So as for now who is the main contender?

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

By the way, how are the elections in the SPD going? Do media even care?

Oh, yes. Every time a new chair hopeful chimes in, the media report about it.
But the CDU, AfD and the Greens are in their main focus, of course. (And currently also the CSU, whose chairman recently presses for a constitutional amendment concerning environment protection.)

So as for now who is the main contender?

There haven't been any polls yet, but I'm very sure Karl Lauterbach is going to win the chair election, as he is the only prominent contender. He has been attending every political talk show about health economics for 20 years.

[xelas81]

As I've said earlier, AKK is an abhorrent pick for defense. She has zero credentials in defense policy and now she is all of a sudden supposed fix the mess Fliten Uschi has left and got rewarded for with the presidency of the European commission? While at the same time effectively running the CDU (into the ground)? Give me a break. Maybe we should hire actual high ranking personell out of the military instead of political hacks? The same at commerce, I'd like to have someone with business experience there while a union leader at the labor ministry. And then all these political masterminds wonder why their poling numbers are so low? Maybe they should waste the millions of dollars on consultants telling them this instead of what kind of furniture military bases need?

There are also some memes making the rounds on the social media platforms about Merkel's personnel choice for defense minister:

Aren't cabinet positions in parliamentary systems chosen based on relative standing of the MP within the governing party/coalition than their fit to the position? So AKK's background shouldn't matter.

Some of the memes seems to have bit sexist tone because it seems to imply that a man should be in charge of  "manly" ministries like defense and women should in charge of "feminine" ministries like education.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Aren't cabinet positions in parliamentary systems chosen based on relative standing of the MP within the governing party/coalition than their fit to the position?

Yeah, and that's what the citizens and the media have been criticizing again and again and again for decades. And it's a major shortcoming of the German political system that the federal and state ministers aren't elected by the respective parliament. The only state that does require an approval of the ministers by the legislative body is Bremen.
Just because something wrong has been done since the year dot doesn't make it right.

So AKK's background shouldn't matter.

Her background needn't matter, but it should matter!

Some of the memes seems to have bit sexist tone because it seems to imply that a man should be in charge of "manly" ministries like defense and women should in charge of "feminine" ministries like education.

No, those mems imply that only someone with a military background should become defense minister. If Tulsi Gabbard occupied that cabinet post, nobody would complain. Especially against the backdrop of her promise not to enter the cabinet due to her pledge of high-level commitment to the political work for her party. That assurance led to her very narrow victory against Friedrich Merz, who made no bones about not giving a shit about the chairmanship and wanting to become the chancellor candidate instead.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Aren't cabinet positions in parliamentary systems chosen based on relative standing of the MP within the governing party/coalition than their fit to the position?

Yeah, and that's what we citizens and the media have been criticizing again and again and again for decades. And it's a major shortcoming of the German political system that the federal and state ministers aren't elected by the respective parliament. The only state that does require an approval of the ministers by the legislative body is Bremen.
Just because something wrong has been done since the year dot doesn't make it right.

So AKK's background shouldn't matter.

Her background needn't matter, but it should matter!

Some of the memes seems to have bit sexist tone because it seems to imply that a man should be in charge of "manly" ministries like defense and women should in charge of "feminine" ministries like education.

No, those mems imply that only someone with a military background should become defense minister. If Tulsi Gabbard occupied that cabinet post, nobody would complain. Especially against the backdrop of her promise not to enter the cabinet due to her pledge of high-level commitment to the political work for her party. That assurance led to her very narrow victory against Friedrich Merz, who made no bones about not giving a shit about the chairmanship and wanting to become the chancellor candidate instead.

[Diouf]

It's a really good idea that those persons who have to carry out actual military tasks have some military experience, but really shouldn't be needn't among the politicians. Here political experience can be useful, and the ability to quickly understand the interests and motivations of the main players. For some, the latter becomes easier if they have practical experience for the field, for other it will be an hindrance as they are to enmeshed with some of the players. In the worst case becoming just at one with the machinery, and overlooking what's political feasible and/or popular.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

After the lengthy discussion about the possible introduction of a CO₂ tax, a Social Democratic MP, Rainer Spiering, has come up with an absurd idea to put their remaining voters off: a meat tax. Or more precisely: a value-added tax increase on meat products. Way to go, SPD. Way to go...

[pilskonzept]

After the lengthy discussion about the possible introduction of a CO₂ tax, a Social Democratic MP, Rainer Spiering, has come up with an absurd idea to put their remaining voters off: a meat tax. Or more precisely: a value-added tax increase on meat products. Way to go, SPD. Way to go...

Makes perfect sense if they see the Greens as their main competitors.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

It's a really good idea that those persons who have to carry out actual military tasks have some military experience, but really shouldn't be needn't among the politicians. Here political experience can be useful, and the ability to quickly understand the interests and motivations of the main players. For some, the latter becomes easier if they have practical experience for the field, for other it will be an hindrance as they are to enmeshed with some of the players. In the worst case becoming just at one with the machinery, and overlooking what's political feasible and/or popular.

The Ministry of Defense has wasted €155 million mainly on external consultancy service (and on the restoration of a shipwreck called Gorch Fock).

All 13 other governmental departments have spent €178 million together in the same period of time. 🤬

[President Johnson]

Now the biggest jokes have entered the race for the SPD leadership. Honestly, if they ever got elected, I'd quit the party. This would be the final nail in the coffin.

https://twitter.com/tagesschau/status/1161610892183855104

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Now the biggest jokes have entered the race for the SPD leadership. Honestly, if they ever got elected, I'd quit the party. This would be the final nail in the coffin.

I would actually be a useful idea to give Schwan and Stegner the chairmanship. The SPD will have problems receiving a two-digit percentage during the next election, and hence it's better to send those two joke candidates to the slaughter than to use a more competent candidate as as cannon-fodder.

To those who don't know them:
Gesine Schwan (76) was an unsuccessful presidential candidate back in 2004 and 2009. She is a political science professor and was the president of the Viadrina European University in Frankfurt (Oder), Brandenburg from 1999 till 2008. She is known for regularly making a complete fool of herself in political talk show, where she a welcome guest.

Ralf Stegner (59) has been the SPD group leader in the Schleswig-Holstein Landtag since 2008. From 2007 on he was the state chairman of the SPD, until he resigned at the beginning of this year, but he is still a deputy chair of the federal SPD, an office he has been holding for five years. He sought election as Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein twice, but he was clobbered by incumbent Peter Harry Carstensen in 2009 (CDU: 31.5% | SPD: 25.4%) and by primary challenger and eventually prevailing gubernatorial candidate Torsten Albig (57.2% - 32,2%).
Stegner is known to be perceived as very arrogant, grumpy and sour. He is reported to be the reason for the collapse of the grand coalition in SH in 2009, which induced Carstensen to propose an unsuccessful vote of confidence, thus leading to snap elections.
Here you can get an idea of his English skills:

https://twitter.com/Ralf_Stegner/status/1159865746702426112

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Now the biggest jokes have entered the race for the SPD leadership. Honestly, if they ever got elected, I'd quit the party. This would be the final nail in the coffin.

Let's be realistic here; we should all dread the daunting prospect of a Stegner/Schwan leadership. Their only serious opponents are Lauterbach/Scheer, a duo I hope will prevail after the next federal (snap?) election.