Germany's party landscape is changing drastically

[Skybird]

There were times when it would have been fair to say that Germany effectivly was a two-party system, like the US for example. These times are over. Additionally, Germans evade parties and cancel memberships in huge numbers. sinc ethe late 70s and early 80s, the number of all party memberships in total has halved. The trend is accelerating. I would say especially the young ones are totally fed up.

The first article is about the current party landscape over here, the deep and lasting fall of the Socialdemocrats, and the difficulties of future government forming. We already got a taste of the latter: the great coalition beeing deadlocked in a complete stalemate, which made a commentator remarking during the Obama visit that the senator was visiting a country without leadership. And the little governing and ruling that gets created by the government, is mediocre, and off reality all too often. What is worrying is that the ultra-left Die Linke, home of all-out-communists, defenders of GDR-Stasi-tryanny and old SED minds, is absorbing the better part of those functionaries leaving the SPD in high numbers.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...568758,00.html

the second article is about the boredom projected by German politicians, their lack of vision and emitting a motivational spirit, and the huge contrast to Obama. Probably Germans' yearning for such charcteristics is what made Obama so popular over here. We do not have a single person that even comes close to Obama, regarding inspirational abilities. The remarks on the differences in education in Germany and the US, influencing personalities in different ways, I found interesting.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...568876,00.html

[Diopos]

As you said politicians lack vision!

I HAD A DREAM THAT THEY HAD A DREAM!!!

If there is no vision or driving force politics is reduced to administrative work and the "vacuum" is filled by... Berlouskoni!

[Skybird]

Nobody held weapons at Italians' heads to vote for him. Like all voters, they are to be hold responsible for the choice they made. Who votes for Berlusconi has no right to complain - or to be surprised by what he does, for meanwhile there were plenty of opportunities in past years to learn what to expect from Berlusconi. So, I do not buy into that vacuum thing - Berlusconi was not sucked into office because nobody voted for him, but because enough people made a decision to bring him there. they had the choice to vote differently - or to not vote at all, which might be the best choice when being expected to choose between pleague and cholera. By not voting, you are refusing to give your legitimation to a system which is part of the problem.

[Diopos]

I have tried it all!
abstained,
voted for a "major" political party,
casted a blank ballot,
voted for smaller party,
all of them at different ages and for different reasons
but always, always had an "empty" feeling afterwards.

[Gorduz]

The first time i voted in the local election (a town of 50.000 inhabitants) I voted for the 3 or 4th largest party being just to the left of the conservatives. The biggest party(conservatives) wanted to make the town council with the second largest party(libertarians) but the libs decided to raise the stakes, and the coservatives gut fed up and went to the left. So because both the parties to the left of the conservatives had made a good election we had the first conservative, left council in many years I was very happy with my choice then..

[UnderseaLcpl]

Fascinating perspective on Germany's sociopolitical situation skybird. I wish I knew enough about German society to fully grasp these articles' import. Research time!


On a semi-related note, France has been getting uppity lately. Seeing as how Germany is the world leader in France-invasions, is there any hope that these political trends might trigger another one?:rotfl: