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Posted by: Brett-Butler Sep 24 2017, 04:20 PM

The polls have closed in Germany for their national elections. Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats are on course to win 32% of the vote, which will likely see her continue as chancellor. Her coalition partners, the SPD, have polled 20% in the exit polls, which would suggest that their coalition will continue. The far-right, anti-immigration party AfD are on course to enter parliament for the first time, with 13% of the vote making them the 3rd biggest party if this poll is to be believed.

Posted by: LexC Sep 24 2017, 04:38 PM

The SPD have said in no uncertain terms that they will be going into opposition in order to prevent the AfD becoming the official opposition. I think CDU/FPD/Green or 'Jamaica' coalition is the most likely at this stage.

Posted by: Suedehead2 Sep 24 2017, 04:42 PM

There's not a lot of common ground between the FDP and the Greens so a coalition involving them both could be difficult.

Posted by: Northside Hisser Sep 24 2017, 06:06 PM

"Christian Democrats" - Why do they bring religion into a party name!

Posted by: Brett-Butler Sep 24 2017, 06:33 PM

There are actually a lot of Christian democracy parties across western Europe that specifically have "Christian" in their names that are consistently represented in their respective parliaments, such as in Belgium, the Netherlands & Switzerland, not just in Germany. If anything, the UK is a bit of an outsider in not having one with clear representation, although that is unlikely to change at any point in the future.

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner Sep 24 2017, 06:48 PM

If the SPD do indeed have to go into opposition to keep the vile scum away from the title of 'opposition' then it's going to be interesting to see what form of rainbow Merkel assembles to partner with the CDU/CSU. I am going to hold out some naive hope that AfD only make it to 4th.

When in Germany this week I did see a number of defaced and destroyed AfD posters, they were not particularly popular in Heidelberg. One quite strongly invoked Godwin's law, but if anyone is adept at knowing who to correctly apply the term Nazi to, it's the Germans.

Posted by: MoistSummerFruit Sep 24 2017, 06:53 PM

This tbh!

Posted by: PeaceMob Sep 24 2017, 08:11 PM

2017

UK election - Theresa May has 42% of the vote

Germany election - Angela Merkel has 33% of the vote

I bet the Polish and Hungarian governments are laughing so hard at Merkel right now. I hope AfD go hard on Merkel now and give that globalist wretch some real opposition in the German parliament for once.

Posted by: Brett-Butler Sep 24 2017, 08:34 PM

Fancy that, a FPTP system of government leads to the main party gaining a higher # of votes than the main party under a proportional representative system. One could never have predicted that...

Posted by: PeaceMob Sep 24 2017, 08:48 PM

Merkel has officially delivered the worst result for her party since the Second World War, lets see how long it takes her to form a majority government compared to Theresa May. Possibly before Christmas if she's lucky,

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner Sep 24 2017, 08:57 PM

The German system is designed to be ruled by coalition, ours is not. Comparing the two is a pointless waste of time.

Posted by: Suedehead2 Sep 24 2017, 09:14 PM

So you are willing to support an openly fascist party. Ah well, at least you've let us know.

Posted by: Suedehead2 Sep 24 2017, 09:15 PM

And guess who imposed that on Germany. Ah yes, we did.

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner Sep 24 2017, 10:00 PM

Is that banable?!?!

We have gifted a large number of countries a political system modelled after our own, yet improved immeasurably.

Posted by: vidcapper Sep 25 2017, 06:16 AM

The appeal of Merkel is a complete mystery to me, but she has only herself to blame for the rise of the AFD.

The best way to thwart extreme-right loony parties is not to give them ammunition in the first place!

Posted by: popchartfreak Sep 25 2017, 07:11 AM

Merkel: Leader Of The Free World.

Far Right Loons: require nothing to get ammunition. Only hatred of others which comes quite easily to them.

Posted by: PeaceMob Sep 25 2017, 07:26 AM

I don't know why liberals are obsessed with calling Merkel "leader of the free world", she voted against gay marriage a couple of months ago!!

Posted by: vidcapper Sep 25 2017, 07:46 AM

Generally speaking it's the POTUS who's given that title.

I agree there is a hardcore of irredeemable neo-nazi types, but their numbers don't *spontaneously* expand, that's why it's crucial not to give them any excuse.

By far the best way to deal with a potential problem is to not let it become a problem in the first place, but our gov'ts are too cocksure that they can handle it.

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner Sep 25 2017, 10:03 AM

POTUS is a slug unfit of the title. Merkel has been the premier statesperson since Obama left office and has been ruling Europe for a while now

Posted by: vidcapper Sep 25 2017, 11:22 AM

Ah, so you admit that's Germany's real aim!

Posted by: 5 Silas Frøkner Sep 25 2017, 11:36 AM

What about a Federal Europe scare you so much?

Not that it would ever happen anyway. There’s far too much constitutional f***ery in the way for it to ever translate from pipe dream/racists nightmare.

Posted by: popchartfreak Sep 25 2017, 11:42 AM

errr, because she IS? Trump isn't, hes a lying racist traitorous crook in cahoots with Putin, his BFF.

name an alternative candidate, feel free.

Posted by: popchartfreak Sep 25 2017, 11:46 AM

POTUS, even amongst Americans, is not regarded as democratic. He is flaunting the US constitution and laws, and like his phoney cronies, will come a cropper.

Nazis win favour by propaganda and lies, stoking hatred and blame as the reason for it to be permissable. Try reading history and looking around Europe and the US right now, it's not hidden. You are just blinkered.

Posted by: PeaceMob Sep 25 2017, 02:28 PM

So you think someone like Merkel who believes marriage should only be between a man and a woman is a "leader of the free world". Not a chance.

Posted by: MoistSummerFruit Sep 25 2017, 03:02 PM

Do you have an alternative?

Posted by: popchartfreak Sep 25 2017, 06:52 PM

Still not offering an alternative I see....

Posted by: popchartfreak Sep 25 2017, 06:56 PM

BTW latest tweets from Farage's new BFF's in germany state that they are proud for what their troops did in 2 WW's. They quote Coventry, London and other British cities as marvellous proud successes. That's farage, who claims to represent Proud patriotic Britishness, supporting Far-Right groups proud of murdering British people.

How much does he have to actually DO to persuade his f***ing braindead supporters that he's a Nazi sympathiser, he doesnt give a shit about democracy?