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offtopic:german_politics [2019/11/04 10:36] – [Coalitions] re-ordered by importance/common-ness max_sinisterofftopic:german_politics [2023/04/26 19:10] (current) max_sinister
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 == CDU/CSU ("Black") == == CDU/CSU ("Black") ==
-The CDU ("//Christlich-Demokratische Union//" - Christian Democratic Union) is the main conservative party in Germany, and are successors to the Weimar era Zentrum party. They currently run Germany as senior member of the incumbent coalition, and the current German chancellor, Angela Merkel, also hails from the CDU. The majority of chancellors of the Federal Republic have also been hailing from the CDU (Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard, Kurt Georg Kiesinger and Helmut Kohl).+The CDU ("//Christlich-Demokratische Union//" - Christian Democratic Union) is the main conservative party in Germany, and are successors to the Weimar era Zentrum party. They (until recently, that is, 2021) ran Germany as senior member of the incumbent coalition, and the last German chancellor, Angela Merkel, also hails from the CDU. The majority of chancellors of the Federal Republic also have been hailing from the CDU (Konrad Adenauer, Ludwig Erhard, Kurt Georg Kiesinger and Helmut Kohl).
  
-In [[Bavaria]] (where else?) the CDU does not run, but instead the CSU ("//Christlich-Soziale Union//", Christian Social Union) does, which in return does not run outside. CDU and CSU form a common club in the Bundestag, the German parliament. One could hence describe the CSU as the CDU's Bavarian section, but that is not entirely true as it does have a completely own party apparatus. The CSU is on average far less moderate and more conservative than its sister party. The split of CDU and CSU dates back to the earliest days of the Weimar Era when the Bavarian section of Zentrum party broke off to form the Bavarian People's Party whose immediate successor is the CSU. The CSU has nearly always run Bavaria except for an SPD-lead government in 1950-54, and has done so with an absolute majority from 1962 to 2008 when it had to join a coalition with the FDP (wherein the CSU, as Horst Seehofer explicitally told, was meddling like a virgin due to lacking prior experience). +In [[Bavaria]] (where else?) the CDU does not run, but instead the CSU ("//Christlich-Soziale Union//", Christian Social Union) does, which in return does not run outside. CDU and CSU form a common club in the Bundestag, the German parliament. One could hence describe the CSU as the CDU's Bavarian section, but that is not entirely true as it does have a completely own party apparatus. The CSU is on average far less moderate and more conservative than its sister party. The split of CDU and CSU dates back to the earliest days of the Weimar Era when the Bavarian section of Zentrum party broke off to form the Bavarian People's Party whose immediate successor is the CSU. The CSU has nearly always run Bavaria except for an SPD-lead government in 1950-54, and has done so with an absolute majority from 1962 to 2008, after which it had to join a coalition with the FDP (wherein the CSU, as Horst Seehofer explicitally told, was meddling like a virgin due to lacking prior experience). 
-Attempts to have a CSU chancellor (Franz Josef Strauß 1980 and, äh, Edmund Stoiber in 2002, and, äh, Strauß even declared himself, äh, winner before he had to realise, äh, it was not so) have failed so far.+Attempts to have a CSU chancellor (Franz Josef Strauß 1980 and, äh, Edmund Stoiber in 2002, and, äh, Strauß even declared himself, äh, winner before he had to realise, äh, it was not so) have failed so far. Maybe Söder will have good luck.
  
 The parties' black colour (different to the blue usually associated with conservatives in Europe) is due to its Zentrum heritage, and is the party of the pre-WW1 catholic parties, themselves taken from the catholic priests' black robes. When referred to as a collective, CDU and CSU are called, both ending with "Union", as //Unionsparteien// or simply //Union//. The parties' black colour (different to the blue usually associated with conservatives in Europe) is due to its Zentrum heritage, and is the party of the pre-WW1 catholic parties, themselves taken from the catholic priests' black robes. When referred to as a collective, CDU and CSU are called, both ending with "Union", as //Unionsparteien// or simply //Union//.
  
 == SPD ("Red") == == SPD ("Red") ==
-The SPD ("//Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands//" - Social Democratic Party of Germany) are the other big party of Germany - approximately comparable with the Social Democratic, mainstream Socialist or Labour Parties in other European countries. They take pride in being the oldest currently existing party in Germany (well, besides the still existing Zentrum, which is merely a splinter of a splinter anymore, though) - being formed in 1863 (with a short intermission during the Nazi era when it was forbidden). As thus, of all parties currently in the Bundestag it has the richest history. The SPD became increasingly popular during the Kaiserreich, was the main force behind the 1918 revolution, and had one president (Friedrich Ebert) and three chancellors (Hermann Müller, Gustav Bauer, Philipp Scheidemann) in the Weimar Era. After the KPD (communists) had been expelled from the Reichstag (the Weimar Republic parliament), the SPD delegates were the only ones to vote against the Nazi Enabling Act (//Ermächtigungsgesetz//), despite SPD presence in parliament.+The SPD ("//Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands//" - Social Democratic Party of Germany) are the other big party of Germany - approximately comparable with the Social Democratic, mainstream Socialist or Labour Parties in other European countries. They take pride in being the oldest currently existing party in Germany (well, besides the still existing Zentrum, which is merely a splinter of a splinter anymore, though) - being formed in 1863 (with a short intermission during the Nazi era when it was forbidden). As thus, of all parties currently in the Bundestag it has the richest history. The SPD became increasingly popular during the Kaiserreich, was the main force behind the 1918 revolution, and had one president (Friedrich Ebert) and three chancellors (Hermann Müller, Gustav Bauer, Philipp Scheidemann) in the Weimar Era, not to mention the long-time minister president of [[Prussia]] (Otto Braun) - oddly few, considering it was the biggest party most of that time. After the KPD (communists) had been expelled from the Reichstag (the Weimar Republic parliament), the SPD delegates were the only ones to vote against the Nazi Enabling Act (//Ermächtigungsgesetz//), despite SPD presence in parliament.
  
-In the Federal Republic, the SPD has had three chancellors - Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schröder. By the Godesberg Program of 1959, it officially shed its marxist roots, though actually the party already hadn't been that Marxist anymore even back in the old Kaiserreich. Its main political points in the Federal Republic were the welfare state and better relations to the East Bloc. +In the Federal Republic, the SPD has had four chancellors - Willy Brandt, Helmut SchmidtGerhard Schröder, and Olaf Scholz. By the Godesberg Program of 1959, it officially shed its marxist roots, though actually the party already hadn't been that Marxist anymore even back in the old Kaiserreich. Its main political points in the Federal Republic were the welfare state and better relations to the East Bloc. 
    
 Historically, the SPD's strongholds of course always were the urban and industrial areas, in the Kaiserreich mainly the [[Ruhr Area]] and Saxony. This has somewhat changed now - the Ruhr and also the Saar as the second West German former coal area are still SPD strongholds, but Saxony for example regularly votes CDU absolute majorities. Generally, the SPD is also strong in Northern Germany, especially [[Hamburg]], and also has governed most of the time in [[Hesse]], while being very weak in the two Southern states. Historically, the SPD's strongholds of course always were the urban and industrial areas, in the Kaiserreich mainly the [[Ruhr Area]] and Saxony. This has somewhat changed now - the Ruhr and also the Saar as the second West German former coal area are still SPD strongholds, but Saxony for example regularly votes CDU absolute majorities. Generally, the SPD is also strong in Northern Germany, especially [[Hamburg]], and also has governed most of the time in [[Hesse]], while being very weak in the two Southern states.
  
-As of June '18, Andrea Nahles is the (first femalehead of the SPD. The party has a high turnover of federal leaders since Schröder left politics, and even before leaders changed every few years since Willy Brandt retired, so don't count on this info.+As of June '18, Andrea Nahles became the first female head of the SPD. Didn't last very long either. After that, they tried an experiment and elected a //Doppelspitze// ("double... head?" -- a concept we only knew so far from more alternative parties like the Greens, the PDS, and the... AfD) of the two nonentities of Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken. The party has had a high turnover of federal leaders since Schröder left politics, and even before that, leaders changed every few years since Willy Brandt retired, so don't count on this info.
  
 == FDP ("Yellow") == == FDP ("Yellow") ==
-The FDP ("//Freie Demokratische Partei//" - Free Democratic Party) is one of the principal minor parties on the federal level and junior partner of the incumbent coaltion, founded immediately after WWII. It is the main liberal party of Germany, and just as the CDU roots are the Zentrum, the FDP's roots are the liberal movement in Germany, which before the era of the Federal Republic had traditionally been split in right or national liberals and left liberals or progressives, with ever varying parties (DVP and DDP in the Weimar Republic, respectively). It is worth noting that "liberal" of course means something very different in the European sense then it does in the American sense. Americans would probably describe the FDP as moderate libertarians - that is, they represent classical libertarian positions of being pro-business and pro-social rights, while having none of that scary dogmatism of many American libertarians.+The FDP ("//Freie Demokratische Partei//" - Free Democratic Party) is one of the principal minor parties on the federal level and junior partner of the incumbent coalition, founded immediately after WWII. It is the main liberal party of Germany, and just as the CDU roots are the Zentrum, the FDP's roots are the liberal movement in Germany, which before the era of the Federal Republic had traditionally been split in right or national liberals and left liberals or progressives, with ever varying parties (DVP and DDP in the Weimar Republic, respectively). It is worth noting that "liberal" of course means something very different in the European sense then it does in the American sense. Americans would probably describe the FDP as moderate libertarians - that is, they represent classical libertarian positions of being pro-business and pro-social rights, while having none of that scary dogmatism of many American libertarians.
  
-In the pre-reunification Federal Republic, the FDP made or broke governments. Despite being the smallest party in a three-party Bundestag, their choice with whom to ally decided everything and over the pre-reunification time they switched partners two times, both during running legislative periods (i.e. in between elections). Also they acquired an ill reputation of being "the party of the rich", and it certainly is true that the party is strongest in areas of business concentrations and areas with high income levels. This became especially the case after the party all but shed its left wing. Nowadays they mainly focus on the pro-business parts of their agenda, and mostly exclude the possibility of alliances with the SPD, being firmly in orbit of the CDU. +In the pre-reunification Federal Republic, the FDP made or broke governments. Despite being the smallest party in a three-party Bundestag, their choice with whom to ally decided everything and over the pre-reunification time they switched partners two times, both during running legislative periods (i.e. in between elections). Also they acquired an ill reputation of being "the party of the rich", and it certainly is true that the party is strongest in areas of business concentrations and areas with high income levels. This became especially the case after the party all but shed its left wing in 1982, when they changed sides (another thing they're often attacked for). Nowadays they mainly focus on the pro-business parts of their agenda, and mostly exclude the possibility of alliances with the SPD, being firmly in orbit of the CDU. 
  
 After reunification they had a rather heavy crisis, falling short of the five percent clause in many state legislatives, and only keeping above it on federal level due to strategical voting by CDU followers. In 2013, even that failed - yes, for four years, Germany had a Bundestag without the FDP, a novum. However, they managed to come out of this and nowadays look rather good, like all of the <del>three</del> four smaller parties in the Bundestag. After reunification they had a rather heavy crisis, falling short of the five percent clause in many state legislatives, and only keeping above it on federal level due to strategical voting by CDU followers. In 2013, even that failed - yes, for four years, Germany had a Bundestag without the FDP, a novum. However, they managed to come out of this and nowadays look rather good, like all of the <del>three</del> four smaller parties in the Bundestag.
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 The Greens ("//Bündnis 90/Die Grünen//") are a //relatively// young player in German politics that emerged in late 1970s and early 1980s from the pacifist and environmentalist movements of the era. The Alliance '90 was a consortium of anti-SED East German parties that emerged just prior the reunification and joined up with the Greens. It is worth noting that all other parties simply absorbed their East German counterparts without any name changes. The Greens were at first openly discriminated against in the Bundestag (with them being denied some rights a parliamentary club usually enjoys), but managed to establish themselves in the opposition nonetheless. Their first government participation was in [[Hesse]] 1985, being junior member of the SPD. The Hessian section was led by Joschka Fischer, a moderate who would later become the party's most important member. Under him, the party also firstly entered federal government in 1998, again as junior partner of the SPD, under Gerhard Schröder. The Greens ("//Bündnis 90/Die Grünen//") are a //relatively// young player in German politics that emerged in late 1970s and early 1980s from the pacifist and environmentalist movements of the era. The Alliance '90 was a consortium of anti-SED East German parties that emerged just prior the reunification and joined up with the Greens. It is worth noting that all other parties simply absorbed their East German counterparts without any name changes. The Greens were at first openly discriminated against in the Bundestag (with them being denied some rights a parliamentary club usually enjoys), but managed to establish themselves in the opposition nonetheless. Their first government participation was in [[Hesse]] 1985, being junior member of the SPD. The Hessian section was led by Joschka Fischer, a moderate who would later become the party's most important member. Under him, the party also firstly entered federal government in 1998, again as junior partner of the SPD, under Gerhard Schröder.
  
-Due to his influence, and due to being in government now, the party moderated itself, against much resistance from the party base. While many complained the party had lost its profile this way, it opened up new possibilities of coalitions: While before the Greens could only ally with the SPD, coalitions with the CDU now are rare but possible. The pro-business FDP remains the environmentalists' archnemesis in a rather petty (by both sides) feud.+Due to his influence, and due to being in government now, the party moderated itself, against much resistance from the party base. While many complained the party had lost its profile this way, it opened up new possibilities of coalitions: While before the Greens could only ally with the SPD, coalitions with the CDU now are rare but possible. The pro-business FDP remains the environmentalists' archnemesis in a rather petty (by both sides) feud. Didn't stop them forming a "traffic light" (see below) coalition in 2021 together. 
 + 
 +Oh, and in their early years, some alternative groups that'd later join the Greens called themselves "bunt" (colorful) - let's count that as a color as well.
  
 == Die Linke ("Red" -- or "Dark-Red" for pedants) == == Die Linke ("Red" -- or "Dark-Red" for pedants) ==
 Die Linke ("//The Left//") is the current German party "left of the mainstream left party", though despite popular accusations from the CDU it cannot accurately be described as Communist. It was formed by the fusion of the WASG, a recent (post-2000) leftist SPD splinter, with the Linkspartei (Left Party), itself a renaming of the PDS (//Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus// - Party of Democratic Socialism). Die Linke ("//The Left//") is the current German party "left of the mainstream left party", though despite popular accusations from the CDU it cannot accurately be described as Communist. It was formed by the fusion of the WASG, a recent (post-2000) leftist SPD splinter, with the Linkspartei (Left Party), itself a renaming of the PDS (//Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus// - Party of Democratic Socialism).
  
-The PDS meanwhile was the legal successor of the SED, the //Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands// (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) - that is, the dictatorical party of [[East Germany]]. While it was mostly the reform wing of the SED that made up the SED, the party did inherit all of the SED's assets - and its bad reputation. The party was shunned by the rest of the political spectrum for years, but managed to have some successes (even large successes) in East Germany by representing itself as an East German regional party. It was not able to gain any foothold in the West, though, and even the successes it had in the East were largely due to the personal investment of its most prominent member, Gregor Gysi, a skilled rhetorician with much personal charm.+The PDS meanwhile was the legal successor of the SED, the //Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands// (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) - that is, the dictatorical party of [[East Germany]]. While it was mostly the reform wing of the SED that made up the PDS, the party did inherit all of the SED's assets - and its bad reputation. The party was shunned by the rest of the political spectrum for years, but managed to have some successes (even large successes) in East Germany by representing itself as an East German regional party. It was not able to gain any foothold in the West, though, and even the successes it had in the East were largely due to the personal investment of its most prominent member, Gregor Gysi, a skilled rhetorician with much personal charm.
  
-The WASG meanwhile was the project of one Oskar Lafontaine, longtime leader of the SPD's left wing with a personal power base in the [[Saarland]], where he also was Minister President for some years. As this shows, Lafontaine (often pictured in political cartoons as a Napoleon, for being of similar size and having similar ambitions and coming from France-near Saarland) enjoyed quite a career inside the SPD for years - amongst other things, he led the party for a few years and tried to become chancellor in 1990 but failed miserably. During that time, officially the SPD was ruled by a "troika" of him, Schröder and Scharping forgot about him, Germany has, too), but Schröder, the champion of the SPD's moderate wing, eventually won out and became SPD chancellor, as we know - something Lafontaine took rather badly. Despite becoming Minister of Finance in Schröder's government 1998, he withdrew from all offices in 1999 and left the SPD in 2005. He then set out to form his own party, the WASG ("//Wahlalternative für Arbeit und Soziale Gerechtigkeit//" - The Electoral Alternative for Work and Social Justice). The WASG was from the beginning thought as a provisorium until unification with the PDS could be achieved. Which still strangely took some years, party bureaucracies at work.+The WASG meanwhile was the project of one Oskar Lafontaine, longtime leader of the SPD's left wing with a personal power base in the [[Saarland]], where he also was Minister President for some years. As this shows, Lafontaine (often pictured in political cartoons as a Napoleon, for being of similar size and having similar ambitions and coming from France-near Saarland) enjoyed quite a career inside the SPD for years - amongst other things, he led the party for a few years and tried to become chancellor in 1990 but failed miserably. During that time, officially the SPD was ruled by a "troika" of him, Schröder and Scharping (forget about him, Germany has, too), but Schröder, the champion of the SPD's moderate wing, eventually won out and became SPD chancellor, as we know - something Lafontaine took rather badly. Despite becoming Minister of Finance in Schröder's government 1998, he withdrew from all offices in 1999 and left the SPD in 2005. He then set out to form his own party, the WASG ("//Wahlalternative für Arbeit und Soziale Gerechtigkeit//" - The Electoral Alternative for Work and Social Justice). The WASG was from the beginning thought as a provisorium until unification with the PDS could be achieved. Which still strangely took some years, party bureaucracies at work.
  
-Of course, the PDS was overjoyed to gain a foothold in the West, and so the merger eventually did happen in 2007. Since then, the SPD has lost dramatically in polls and elections, as its left wing flocks to the new Die Linke. Additionally, it has created a huge spat inside the SPD about whether to ally with them or not. Before, the SPD had allowed its Eastern sections to cooperate with the PDS, but forbidden all Western sections and the federal level to do likewise. Now, though, that consensus is broken up, but there are still some SPD members with acute cases of paranoid commiephobia who exclude all possibilities of a coalition. Either that, or they're still pissed because they consider their former boss Lafontaine a traitor.+Of course, the PDS was overjoyed to gain a foothold in the West, and so the merger eventually did happen in 2007. Since then, the SPD has lost dramatically in polls and elections, as its left wing flocks to the new Die Linke. Additionally, it has created a huge spat inside the SPD about whether to ally with them or not. Before, the SPD had allowed its Eastern sections to cooperate with the PDS, but forbidden all Western sections and the federal level to do likewise. Now, though, that consensus is broken up, but there are still some SPD members with acute cases of paranoid commiephobia who exclude all possibilities of a coalition. Either that, or they're still pissed because they consider their former boss Lafontaine a traitor. And since he left his new party in 2022, //they// consider him a traitor as well now.
  
 Which is because Die Linke is of course still associated with the SED's taint, because it can't distance itself from its past as the governing party in a dictatorship. However, nonetheless it has gone from one victory to the next, and it seemed likely it would sit in about all state parliaments -- even in conservative Bavaria (where they failed in 2008), but since 2012 they're on the retreat in the west. Its main ideology is mostly still populism and welfare state with little idea how to finance it, though. Which is because Die Linke is of course still associated with the SED's taint, because it can't distance itself from its past as the governing party in a dictatorship. However, nonetheless it has gone from one victory to the next, and it seemed likely it would sit in about all state parliaments -- even in conservative Bavaria (where they failed in 2008), but since 2012 they're on the retreat in the west. Its main ideology is mostly still populism and welfare state with little idea how to finance it, though.
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 == Political Experiments == == Political Experiments ==
-In particular the city state of Hamburg seems to be prone to these ones over the years. Examples include the "Grey Panthers", a party of/by/for retirees. Given that Germany is an overage society with a lot of retirees, one might expect that they're also a heavy force of voters, but no. A second example was the "STATT Partei", a populist party with unclear ideological profile - really, us Germans have no idea what they were about! Another freaky example was the so-called "Schill Party", which was founded by a fired judge who possibly wanted to style himself as Judge Dredd. Anyways, after facing acute incompetence and a cocaine scandal involving the hypocrite "Judge Merciless" as he was called (and liked to style himself) his party kicked him out and faded with him again into insignificance. That's life.\\ +In particular the city state of Hamburg seems to be prone to these ones over the years. Examples include the "Grey Panthers", a party of/by/for retirees. Given that Germany is an overaged society with a lot of retirees, one might expect that they're also a heavy force of voters, but no. A second example was the "STATT Partei", a populist party with unclear ideological profile - really, us Germans have no idea what they were about except not being the other parties! Another freaky example bordering on right-populist was the so-called "Schill Party", which was founded by a fired judge who possibly wanted to style himself as Judge Dredd. Anyways, after facing acute incompetence and a cocaine scandal involving the hypocritical "Judge Merciless" as he was called (and liked to style himself)his party kicked him out and faded with him again into insignificance. That's life.\\ 
-The most recent notable example, especially in regard of the 2009 Bundestag election, would be the so-called Pirate Party, a new party dedicated to the subject of informational self-determination. Seems they petered out, though.+One notable example, especially in regard of the 2009 Bundestag election, would be the so-called Pirate Party, a new party dedicated to the subject of informational self-determination. Seems they petered out, though. 
 + 
 +Since 1989, Munich (of all places) has had the "Rosa Liste" (pink list), a party of/by/for gaysexuals, which even joined the red-green city government coalition. Guess which party color they use. The libertarian-light NEOS party from [[Austria]] also uses paaank, don't confuse them. 
 + 
 +The most recent notable example is "Volt", a party which is part of pan-European Volt and wants to implement "Best Practices" (urgh, manager jargon) - if some other EU country had success with some politics, why not copy it? They're represented in several communes. Their color is purple. 
 + 
 +Finally, there's the //Freie Wähler// ("free voters") founded in 2009. You see, Germany has had people for long who wanted to do something for their communities without joining those pesky parties. In many communes, they even have a majority, being especially strong in the South. As they became more popular, they decided to become a real party, which wants to give more power to the communes. Since 2010, they even have an organization on federal level. As mentioned below, they're part of a coalition in Bavaria and use orange as a color. Don't confuse them which Austria's right-populist Jörg Haider's BZÖ, which also used orange as a color. (And was nicknamed "Fallobst" [=windfall, fallen down fruits], for it.)
  
 == Brown Scum == == Brown Scum ==
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 The third "big" right-extremist party are the //Republikaner// (Republicans - no, that is no joke). It is somewhat debatable whether they are right-extremist or merely very conservative and rightwing. They started out as a more conservative CSU splitoff, but during the course of their history had contacts to both NPD and DVU. For some time they appeared to be the biggest and most moderate of the three, but since the early Naughts the NPD seems more successful. The third "big" right-extremist party are the //Republikaner// (Republicans - no, that is no joke). It is somewhat debatable whether they are right-extremist or merely very conservative and rightwing. They started out as a more conservative CSU splitoff, but during the course of their history had contacts to both NPD and DVU. For some time they appeared to be the biggest and most moderate of the three, but since the early Naughts the NPD seems more successful.
  
-Of course, those parties are all spied on by the Gestapo... Stasi... I mean, the Verfassungsschutz, the German domestic intelligence service. Or rather, all 17 of them - every state has one and the federal level, too. And they all are under the threat of being banned, which can happen to parties here when the Bundestag asks the German Constitutional Court (who in this regard is Germany's IRL equivalent of [[Ian]]) to look into the matter. This was tried 2001-03 (yeah, it took that long) with the NPD, the most extreme of the three, but it failed rather spectacularly when it was discovered the party was choke full of ''Verfassungsschutz'' agents, so much that the Court saw itself as unable to differentiate what is true party ideology and what influence of the agents!+Of course, those parties are all spied on by the //Gestapo//... //Stasi//... I mean, the //Verfassungsschutz//, the German domestic intelligence service. Or rather, all 17 of them - every state has one and the federal level, too. And they all are under the threat of being banned, which can happen to parties here when the Bundestag asks the German Constitutional Court (who in this regard is Germany's IRL equivalent of [[Ian]]) to look into the matter. This was tried 2001-03 (yeah, it took that long) with the NPD, the most extreme of the three, but it failed rather spectacularly when it was discovered the party was choke full of //Verfassungsschutz// agents, so much that the Court saw itself as unable to differentiate what is true party ideology and what influence of the agents!
  
-And then there's the recent AfD. Founded in 2013 by various professors of the economy, they may have started being right-liberal/conservative/euroskeptical/Christian, but since then, the party has moved further and further to the right, sometimes touching with the German equivalent of the alt-right. To the point that several of their former founders left because this development was too much for their taste. Which included Frauke Petry //on the very next day after elected into the Bundestag in 2017//. Because yes, the party is the first party to the right of the Union which made it into the Bundestag since 1957, with a double-digit result to boot. They're especially strong in the former GDR, in some lands even beyond 20%, in parts of Saxony even the strongest one (currently).+And then there's the recent AfD. Founded in 2013 by various professors of the economy, they may have started being right-libertarian/conservative/euroskeptical/Christian, but since then, the party has moved further and further to the right, sometimes touching with the German equivalent of the alt-right. To the point that several of their former founders left because this development was too much for their taste. Which included Frauke Petry //on the very next day after being elected into the Bundestag in 2017//. Because yes, the party is the first party to the right of the Union which made it into the Bundestag since 1957, with a double-digit result to boot. They're especially strong in the former GDR, in some lands even beyond 20%, in parts of Saxony even the strongest one (currently).
  
-The //whole// party isn't observed by the Verfassungsschutz (yet - although they're working on it), but some members //are//.+The //whole// party wasn't observed by the //Verfassungsschutz// until 2022 when they were deemed as suspicious, but some members //are//
 + 
 +On a final note, there's the //Europäische Arbeiter-Partei// (European Labor/Workers' Party - it had a Trotskist bend) / //Patrioten für Deutschland// (Patriots for Germany) / //Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität// (Civil Rights Movement Solidarity) or however it's called this decade. See, all of these were/are headed by the same woman, a Helga Zepp-LaRouche. Yes, she's the wife of //that// LaRouche guy who thinks Elizabeth II was running a drug ring. But hey, they have a great idea how to save the economy: Building a maglev connection from Brest via Berlin to Vladivostok! No, make that a world-spanning network of them! 
 + 
 +Officially BTW none of them actually //uses// brown as their party color. And the fact that the SPD chose umber as their color in a restyling under Schröder doesn't make them one of those.
  
 == Christian / Conservative parties == == Christian / Conservative parties ==
-A footnote, pretty much. Most noteworthy are one of if not the oldest parties of Germany, the Zentrum, which was almost-perpetual government party during the Weimar republic (1918/19 - 1932) and the DSU (//Deutsche Soziale Union//) which was part of the last Eastern German government and thought about becoming an eastern CSU for a while. Besides, we have the DP (//Deutsche Partei// -- that is, the new-founded version from 1993), the PBC (//Partei Bibeltreuer Christen//), the AUF (//Partei für Arbeit, Umwelt und Familie//), the Bündnis C of the latter two, the CM (//Christliche Mitte//), the Familien-Partei and maybe some we forgot. All of them are or have become hopeless splinter parties. The LKR (//Liberal-Konservative Reformer//) of former AfD boss Bernd Lucke joined them after the European elections in 2019.+A footnote, pretty much. Most noteworthy are one of if not the oldest parties of Germany, the Zentrum, which was almost-perpetual government party during the Weimar republic (1918/19 - 1932) and the DSU (//Deutsche Soziale Union//) which was part of the last Eastern German government and thought about becoming an eastern CSU for a while. Then, there's the BP (//Bayernpartei//), a seriously secessionist party for, you guessed it, [[Bavaria]]. They aren't openly monarchist, even if AH fans would like that, but they have contacts to Wittelsbach fanclubs. Besides, we have the DP (//Deutsche Partei// -- that is, the new-founded version from 1993), the PBC (//Partei Bibeltreuer Christen//), the AUF (//Partei für Arbeit, Umwelt und Familie//), the Bündnis C of the latter two, the CM (//Christliche Mitte//), the Familien-Partei and maybe some we forgot. All of them are or have become hopeless splinter parties, even if the Zentrum is actually represented in the Bundestag again since 2022 when an AfD guy changed camps. The LKR (//Liberal-Konservative Reformer//) of former AfD boss Bernd Lucke joined them after the European elections in 2019. Same thing applies for Frauke Petry who left the AfD to start her own party, //Die Blauen// (the blue ones - yes). Jörg Meuthen, //another// former AfD boss who also quit, hasn't started his own party. Yet. Instead, he joined the Zentrum too, so they're represented in the Euro parliament now as well. 
 + 
 +Oh, and there's the ÖDP (//Ökologisch-Demokratische Partei// -- ecologic-democratic party), which was founded in 1982 by similar people as the Greens. However, they also emphasize family, want parents to receive (more) money from the state ("Erziehungsgehalt" -- a wage for raising kids), and are especially critical about abortion.
  
 == Fun Parties (Spaßparteien) == == Fun Parties (Spaßparteien) ==
-There's also a mix of really, really strange parties that are not too dissimilar from AH.com parties, yet which would never make a stand should they ever get voted into any parliament. Like the Deutsche Sex-Partei, the Anarchistische Pogo-Partei, the really esoteric Naturgesetzpartei and the Beer Drinkers' Union. The P.A.R.T.E.I. is the latest example which even managed to send their boss Martin Sonneborn to the European Parliament, which lacks a 5% (or any) threshold. However, they wouldn't make a stand on AH.com either due to lacking coolness like [[alternate_history:airships]] or battleships... :-)+There's also a mix of really, really strange parties that are not too dissimilar from AH.com parties, yet which would never make a stand should they ever get voted into any parliament. Like the Deutsche Sex-Partei (yes, exactly what you think it is), the Anarchistische Pogo-Partei (which suggests dividing Germany into three zones: One for punks like them who live on UBI; one for squares who work and pay taxes to support everything; and one for nazi skins, too brutal policemen, and other violence-loving people, so they can beat the shit out of each other without endangering the other two groups), the really esoteric Naturgesetzpartei and the Beer Drinkers' Union. The P.A.R.T.E.I. is the latest example which even managed to send their boss Martin Sonneborn to the European Parliament, which lacks a 5% (or any) threshold. However, they wouldn't make a stand on AH.com either due to lacking coolness like [[alternate_history:airships]] or battleships... :-)
  
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 A coalition between the CDU (or recently the CSU as well) and the FDP, also called a christian-liberal or bourgeois (''bürgerliche'') coalition, especially in the times before said colour theory came about. It has been done multiple times on the federal level by Konrad Adenauer (1949-56 and 1961-63, the CDU was running all alone in-between), by Ludwig Erhard (1963-65), running longest under Helmut Kohl (1982-98) and then again by Angela Merkel (2009-13). A coalition between the CDU (or recently the CSU as well) and the FDP, also called a christian-liberal or bourgeois (''bürgerliche'') coalition, especially in the times before said colour theory came about. It has been done multiple times on the federal level by Konrad Adenauer (1949-56 and 1961-63, the CDU was running all alone in-between), by Ludwig Erhard (1963-65), running longest under Helmut Kohl (1982-98) and then again by Angela Merkel (2009-13).
  
-Current (June 2018) state governments of that type run in Northrhine-Westphalia, of all places. Another traditional stronghold of this option, Baden-Württemberg, was lost to Green-Red after recent elections got seriously affected by the Fukushima disaster.+Current (April 2022) state governments of that type run in Northrhine-Westphalia, of all places, but now even they lost their majority. Another traditional stronghold of this option, Baden-Württemberg, was lost to Green-Red after the elections got seriously affected by the Fukushima disaster.
  
-Had no official name, although "[[http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigerente|Tigerenten]]-Koalition" was suggested (maybe as a joke), and "bee (or wasp) coalition" would also work.+Had no official name, although "[[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigerente|Tigerenten]]-Koalition" was suggested (maybe as a joke), and "bee (or wasp) coalition" would also work.
  
 == "Grand Coalition" (Black/Red) == == "Grand Coalition" (Black/Red) ==
-The Grand Coalition (a coalition of the CDU and the SPD) derives its name from the fact that the two biggest parties in Germany form a coalition. Usually that's an emergency measure when no other option is unavailable (like in the current Bundestag, as Die Linke was shunned by all sides, as said), though on some state levels it is a true option of similar ideologies. Germany has been run by grand coalitions three times, once under Kurt-Georg Kiesinger (1966-69) and more recently under Angela Merkel (2005-09 and since 2013 again). Said coalition under Kiesinger was in fact made to introduce the //Notstandsgesetze// which were veeery controversial and needed a two-thirds majority to change the constitution.+The Grand Coalition (a coalition of the CDU and the SPD) derives its name from the fact that the two biggest parties in Germany form a coalition. Usually that's an emergency measure when no other option is unavailable (like in the current Bundestag, as Die Linke was shunned by all sides, as said), though on some state levels it is a true option of similar ideologies. Germany has been run by grand coalitions three times, once under Kurt-Georg Kiesinger (1966-69) and more recently under Angela Merkel (2005-09 and 2013-21 again). Said coalition under Kiesinger was in fact made to introduce the //Notstandsgesetze// which were veeery controversial and needed a two-thirds majority to change the constitution.
  
 Current (August 2019) state governments include those of Saarland, Saxony (lead by the CDU), and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Lower Saxony (lead by the SPD). Current (August 2019) state governments include those of Saarland, Saxony (lead by the CDU), and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Lower Saxony (lead by the SPD).
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 == "Red/Red" (or "Red/Dark Red" for pedants) == == "Red/Red" (or "Red/Dark Red" for pedants) ==
-A coalition between the SPD and the Linke (or the PDS before them). And, yes, it is really called Red/Red. (Once in the past, some people like the radical Green Jutta Ditfurth used to call the SPD "pink" to express that they're just moderately red, but nowadays pink is rather associated with the gaysexuals, so there's no way to call it "Pink/Red".) This one is common in various East German states, but is currently considered taboo on the federal level.+A coalition between the SPD and the Linke (or the PDS before them). And, yes, it is really called Red/Red. (Once in the past, some people like the radical Green Jutta Ditfurth used to call the SPD "pink" to express that they're just moderately red, but nowadays pink is rather associated with the [[gaysexual]]s, so there's no way to call it "Pink/Red".) This one is common in various East German states, but is currently considered taboo on the federal level.
  
-At the moment, Brandenburg is ruled by a Red-Red coalitionYet, they lost their majority in September 2019.+Last of them governed Brandenburg. But they lost their majority in September 2019. Returned in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2021.
  
 == "Red/Red/Green" (aka R2G) == == "Red/Red/Green" (aka R2G) ==
 Analogously a coalition between the SPD, the Greens and the Linke, rarely seen in practice and therefore a rather theoretical idea, though there have been talks about making this after the stalemate in the Hesse elections (which eventually failed and led to premature elections and the resurrection of Roland Koch). Basically the same exotics and taboos of Red/Red alone apply here as well, but the addition of the Greens and their anti-authoritarian background contrasted to the SED background of the Linke makes this alignment even more complicated. A début in Saarland after the 2009 election would have clearly provided a majority for this, but the Greens eventually settled for another début, Jamaica as explained later. Analogously a coalition between the SPD, the Greens and the Linke, rarely seen in practice and therefore a rather theoretical idea, though there have been talks about making this after the stalemate in the Hesse elections (which eventually failed and led to premature elections and the resurrection of Roland Koch). Basically the same exotics and taboos of Red/Red alone apply here as well, but the addition of the Greens and their anti-authoritarian background contrasted to the SED background of the Linke makes this alignment even more complicated. A début in Saarland after the 2009 election would have clearly provided a majority for this, but the Greens eventually settled for another début, Jamaica as explained later.
  
-The closest thing to Red-Red-Green ruling a state were the Red-Green minority government in various //länder// that depended on parliamentary support of Die Linke (starting with Saxony-Anhalt in 1994, hence called the "Magdeburg Model" after its capital), but since 2014, a certain Bodo Ramelow (first minister president of the Linke) leads an actual coalition like this -- except that Die Linke is the strongest partner. Since 2016, [[Berlin]] has a genuine Red-Red-Green government, with the SPD leading. In 2019, Bremen followed suit.+The closest thing to Red-Red-Green ruling a state were the Red-Green minority government in various //länder// that depended on parliamentary support of Die Linke (starting with Saxony-Anhalt and the then-PDS in 1994, hence called the "Magdeburg Model" after its capital), but since 2014, a certain Bodo Ramelow (first minister president of the Linke) leads an actual coalition like this in Thuringia -- except that Die Linke is the strongest partner. Meanwhile, due to AfD successes, it's become a minority government, which does not bode well. Since 2016, [[Berlin]] has a genuine Red-Red-Green government, with the SPD leading. In 2019, Bremen followed suit
 + 
 +== "R2G2" (Red/Red/Yellow/Green) == 
 +Since "Yellow" is "Gelb" in German, you can read this abbreviation as "Two Red, Two G". Nothing more. Doesn't exist yet and probably never will, Socialist Linke and libertarian FDP simply don't fit together.
  
 == "Traffic Light Coalition" (Red/Yellow/Green) == == "Traffic Light Coalition" (Red/Yellow/Green) ==
 This coalition has the same colors like a traffic light in Germany and most of the world. It has been existing on several occasions on state and communal level. It is helped by the fact that both FDP and Greens would form coalitions with the SPD, but hampered by the already mentioned feud between FDP and Greens. Currently, the FDP has excluded any possibility of coalitions with the SPD on the federal level, though. This coalition has the same colors like a traffic light in Germany and most of the world. It has been existing on several occasions on state and communal level. It is helped by the fact that both FDP and Greens would form coalitions with the SPD, but hampered by the already mentioned feud between FDP and Greens. Currently, the FDP has excluded any possibility of coalitions with the SPD on the federal level, though.
  
-There've been few coalitions of this type on state level, the post-unification government of Brandenburg (1990-94), Bremen (1991-95) and since 2016 in Rhineland-Palatinate.+There've been few coalitions of this type on state level, the post-unification government of Brandenburg (1990-94), Bremen (1991-95) and since 2016 in Rhineland-Palatinate. And on federal level since 2021. 
 + 
 +"Senegal coalition" would fit as well, but at that time, coalitions weren't named after countries' flags' colors yet -- this was introduced by the coalition below. And "Ampelkoalition" is easier to say anyway.
  
 == "Jamaica Coalition" or "Schwampel" (Black/Yellow/Green) == == "Jamaica Coalition" or "Schwampel" (Black/Yellow/Green) ==
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 == "Black/Green" (aka "Kiwi coalition") == == "Black/Green" (aka "Kiwi coalition") ==
 A coalition between the CDU and the Greens. This was unthinkable until very recently. Again, Hesse was the groundbreaker, with a surprisingly very stable coalition on city level being formed in Frankfurt. In 2008, a coalition on state level was formed in Hamburg; it seemed to fall apart about the matter of secret deals not revealed to the respective party bases only five months after the election and eventually did so when, after a referendum crushed plans for more comprehensive education (no matter how it had ended), Governing Mayor Ole von Beust as the staple that held Black-Green together retreated from the political scene. Premature elections came in February 2011 and led to an absolute SPD majority. A coalition between the CDU and the Greens. This was unthinkable until very recently. Again, Hesse was the groundbreaker, with a surprisingly very stable coalition on city level being formed in Frankfurt. In 2008, a coalition on state level was formed in Hamburg; it seemed to fall apart about the matter of secret deals not revealed to the respective party bases only five months after the election and eventually did so when, after a referendum crushed plans for more comprehensive education (no matter how it had ended), Governing Mayor Ole von Beust as the staple that held Black-Green together retreated from the political scene. Premature elections came in February 2011 and led to an absolute SPD majority.
 +
 +[[Max Sinister]] once (when it didn't exist yet) thought about naming it derogatorily "Swamp coalition" but never told anyone. Until now.
  
 Current (August 2019) state governments of that type run in Hesse and, under opposite premises ("Green-Black"), in Baden-Württemberg. Current (August 2019) state governments of that type run in Hesse and, under opposite premises ("Green-Black"), in Baden-Württemberg.
  
 == "Deutschland-Koalition" (Black/Red/Yellow) == == "Deutschland-Koalition" (Black/Red/Yellow) ==
-Existed in the early years of West Germany in some lands (Berlin, Bremen, Saarland). Last ones of them died in 1959.+Existed in the early years of West Germany in some lands (Berlin, Bremen, Saarland). Last ones of them died in 1959, until they were resurrected in 2021 in Saxony-Anhalt.
  
 == "Kenya coalition" (Black/Red/Green) == == "Kenya coalition" (Black/Red/Green) ==
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 == "Brazil coalition" (Green/Yellow[/Blue]) == == "Brazil coalition" (Green/Yellow[/Blue]) ==
-Greens and FDP. See, the second FDP color is blue, traditionally. Doesn't exist yet either, but since Kretschmann's Grüne have ~30% and the FDP isn't too weak either, it might become possible in the future.+Greens and FDP. See, the second FDP color is blue, traditionally. Doesn't exist yet either, but since Kretschmann's Grüne in Baden-Württemberg have ~30% and the FDP there isn't too weak either, it might become possible in the future
 + 
 +== "Grapes coalition" (Red/Green/Red?/Purple) == 
 +SPD, Greens, (maybe) Socialists, and Volt. "Weintrauben-Koalition" in German. Actually was formed in [[Bonn]].
  
 == "Hazelnut coalition" (Black/Brown) == == "Hazelnut coalition" (Black/Brown) ==
 Or "Haselnuss-Koalition" in German. Named after a song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z071fl5p0Rw|Schwarzbraun ist die Haselnuß]]". A coalition of the one or other Union party with the radical right didn't actually happen yet, although people speculate about it. Closest thing would be the coalition of Union and Deutsche Partei which ended in 1960. Or "Haselnuss-Koalition" in German. Named after a song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z071fl5p0Rw|Schwarzbraun ist die Haselnuß]]". A coalition of the one or other Union party with the radical right didn't actually happen yet, although people speculate about it. Closest thing would be the coalition of Union and Deutsche Partei which ended in 1960.
 +
 +== "Bahamas coalition" (Black/Yellow/light Blue) ==
 +Hypothetical coalition of CDU/CSU, FDP and AfD. Not done yet, the AfD's still considered too far right.
 +
 +== "Dirndl coalition" (Black/Green/Pink) ==
 +Actually from Austria, but too good not to mention. Because yes, they call it that. Made in the land of Salzburg of conservative-catholic ÖVP, Greens and libertarian-light NEOS.
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 **[[National Politics Index]]** **[[National Politics Index]]**
 +
offtopic/german_politics.1572881764.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/11/04 10:36 by max_sinister

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