Germany: Angela Merkel 'loses key state election'

[Gerald]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats have lost the key state of Baden-Wuerttemberg after six decades, preliminary results show.

The results gave the Greens 24.2% and their Social Democrat allies 23.1%, with Mrs Merkel's party on 39% and its Free Democrat (FDP) allies on 5.3%.

Nuclear power, following the accident in Japan, was a key issue.

The vote in the wealthy south-western state was seen as a referendum on Mrs Merkel's rule.

The region, around Stuttgart, has a population of some 11 million and has been ruled by the Christian Democrats since 1953.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12876083

Note: 27 March 2011 Last updated at 21:01 GMT

[Penguin]

[Gerald]

Yes, she has grounds for a headache now, while it is too early to draw any conclusion concerning nuclear power and what happened in Japan,naively thinking away from them green

[Jimbuna]

Auf Wiedersehen everyone.

[Skybird]

MCAs: Japan has Fukujima 1-6, we have Merkel, Schäuble and Westerwelle. Japan has leaking radioactivity, we have leaking tax-billions. Japan has earthquakes haunting it, we have the Euro haunting us.

What do the people of Japan and Germany have in common? Both get lied to, lied to, lied to. Both will need to live with the costs for decades to come.

[Gerald]

But Germany could recover, as has been done before, if the politicians take their responsibility, which probably does not occur in the normal manner, just like many other countries

[nikimcbee]

As much as I hate the 2 party system, atleast you know, who is who. Could somebody explain the difference between all of the German parties?

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

As much as I hate the 2 party system, atleast you know, who is who. Could somebody explain the difference between all of the German parties?

hardest question on subsim ever! It would be easier to tell you how many rivets the Kriegsmarine used for their ships on full moon nights...
You can't compare it 1:1, as some issues are not really applicable, for example state's rights vs fed rights are a non-issue here, same with gun laws

I try:

CDU : ruling party, has the majority in the parliament and the state chamber (house of reps comparitable)
social free market economy, traditional, conservative, christian values, pro atomic energy (this was an important issue at this election) full of ****

FDP: coalition partner, liberal in the European sense, slightly comparable with the US Libertarian Party
free market, privatisation, corporate friendly, individual rights, pro atomic energy, full of ****

SPD: Social Democrats
social free market economy (a little more tendency towards social than the CDU), pro-union, comparable with the British Labour Party, anti atomic energy, full of ****

Grüne(Greens): main issue on environment, liberal in the US sense towards people's rights, comparible with the US greens, anti atomic energy, full of ****

[Gammelpreusse]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

As much as I hate the 2 party system, atleast you know, who is who. Could somebody explain the difference between all of the German parties?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...stag_or_the_EP

here you have the major ones