GER politics thread

[Skybird]

It seems the coalition government is history.

The media report that Scholz has spoken to the Federal President on the phone that he will dismiss the Finance Minister and wants to call a vote of confidence in January. There should be new elections in mid-March.

The only question is: why not earlier? Answer: because the SPD and the Greens know that they would be shot down in new elections.

Three years too late. This coalition never should have existed from all beginning on.

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by Skybird

BILD reports finance minister Linder (FDP) just suggested to Bubble Olaf that he should clear the path for snap
elections at the beginning of the next year.

No surprise he said that "Olaf Scholz sacked his vice-chancellor and finance minister Christian Lindner at the government crisis meeting."

[Skybird]

Didn't I always say between the lines that this one has an absolutely inferior character? It was not without reason that I only met him with disgust, abhorrence and ridicule. Dishonorable, brutally egoistical, know-it-all, incorrigible, unreasonable, stubborn to the point of insanity, blasée and rightous to the max. Even his departure is reminiscent of the smell in the fields when they are fertilized. And it has been like this since the beginning of his political "career", in all the functions and offices he has held. Its always the others. Itzs never himself. Himself, he is the brightest, the finest, the greatest there ever was. He is like Trump.

https://www-focus-de.translate.goog/..._x_tr_pto=wapp

Repeated attempts to violate the constitution.
Incitement to violate the constitution.
Political delay in bankruptcy.
Massive damage to Germany.
Party conspiracy against the German people, who are suffering from all this.

Disgusting.

And he wants to stay until mid-March...? Serious now...??? With no majority? This should run on for another four months...???

Legal situation is like this: he could ask for a confidence vote right away, right now, its legally absolutely possible. The vote could be held within days, too: next week. There could be early elections in early January.

Wenn's dem Hohen Arsch beliebt, natürlich.

[Jimbuna]

Kremlin awaiting first move from Germany after hints from Scholz

No signals have as yet been received from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on resuming dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite indications on the German side, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said in Moscow on Monday.

"If they say that signals are coming, then we will have to wait for them. To date there have been none," Peskov said. The Kremlin has repeatedly confirmed its willingness regarding dialogue between the two leaders.

Speaking to German public broadcaster ARD on Sunday, Scholz said he wished to hold talks with Putin in the near future, but would not do so on his own. Talks with other leaders were needed beforehand, Scholz said.

On Thursday, Putin repeated that he was open to talks with Western leaders, but that he could not pick up the phone first, since it was they who had broken off contact.

Scholz last spoke by phone with Putin in December 2022 to call for a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine and the withdrawal of Russian troops following the full-scale invasion of February that year.

Peskov said that the Kremlin was observing a certain nervousness in the West following the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential elections but that it was premature to speak of changes in European positions.

"But there are official explanations from European representatives referring to a continuation of their general line of providing all kinds of support. And in plain Russian, that means pumping weapons into Ukraine to continue this war to the end," the Kremlin spokesman said.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...5d5bb842&ei=15

[Skybird]

After VW and Audi, now Ford Germany hits rock bottom, and has announced it will go to short-time work. The production of several e-car models is to be stopped compeletly.

Mercedes and BMW are in troubles as well, so is Porsche. All six suffer from the same vulnerabilies: they wanted to go all-exclucively e-car early. But Germans now almost boycott e.cars, every third to every fourth e-customer says he would, never buy an e-car again, that bad and costly the experiences are. German-made e-cars are way too costly for the German average consumer market. Owner wanting to sell their used e-car get hit by enormous value losses surpassing anything you are used to from conventional cars - if they find buyers, many professional car traders refuse to buy used ecars anymore. Repairs and maintenace services are extremely cost-heavy. On the Chinese market all German brands have completely missed and ignored the demands for features and luxury typical for the Chinese taste - even Mercedes.

If they do not go back to conventional cars, that was it for the German car industry. They underestimated the Japanese when they arrived with their first Toyotas in the 70s. They now underestimate again the Chinese. We know how the story with Toyota ended. If I would need to buy a car, it would likely be a Toyota. And certainly no German brand at all - zu zickig.

[Skybird]

Two days ago, in the middle of the current dark doldrums, which are causing electricity prices to explode and a rich increase in CO2 from coal, a functioning power plant, Moorburg, was blown up. A hydrogen production plant was to be built in its place.

The planned H2 producer's managing company filed for insolvency today.

Incidentally, Moorburg was considered the most modern and one of the lowest-emission coal-fired power plants in the world.

Irrenhaus Deutschland, 2024 A.D.

[Jimbuna]

Sound like our respective countries are blighted by similar politicians

[Catfish]

^ Got to love politicians .. german early elections now planned for february, 23rd 2024.
Scholz plans to be the SPD candidate again, i wonder what else fantasies he may have
As candidates there are now CDU's Merz, SPD's Scholz and The Greens' Habeck. I guess the SPD even had a chance if they'd only propose Mr. Pistorius for the job.
The free liberals of the FDP will probably not enter the Bundestag again.
AfD and BSW's leaders are a real pita

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Catfish

and The Greens' Habeck.

... only if he makes it back home in time...

How many times is that now?

[Catfish]

^ Lol maybe someone tries to prevent a comeback

[Skybird]

Maybe they should consider to buy Boeings instead of Airbusses.


Ah wait.... I forgot...

[Dargo]

Originally Posted by Skybird

After VW and Audi, now Ford Germany hits rock bottom, and has announced it will go to short-time work. The production of several e-car models is to be stopped compeletly.

Mercedes and BMW are in troubles as well, so is Porsche. All six suffer from the same vulnerabilies: they wanted to go all-exclucively e-car early. But Germans now almost boycott e.cars, every third to every fourth e-customer says he would, never buy an e-car again, that bad and costly the experiences are. German-made e-cars are way too costly for the German average consumer market. Owner wanting to sell their used e-car get hit by enormous value losses surpassing anything you are used to from conventional cars - if they find buyers, many professional car traders refuse to buy used ecars anymore. Repairs and maintenace services are extremely cost-heavy. On the Chinese market all German brands have completely missed and ignored the demands for features and luxury typical for the Chinese taste - even Mercedes.

If they do not go back to conventional cars, that was it for the German car industry. They underestimated the Japanese when they arrived with their first Toyotas in the 70s. They now underestimate again the Chinese. We know how the story with Toyota ended. If I would need to buy a car, it would likely be a Toyota. And certainly no German brand at all - zu zickig.

All German car brands got great deals from the Chinese government to build car manufactories in China after a couple of years they copied the German car manufacture and invested big in it result the Chinese harbors are packet to the full of cars ready to flood world markets cheap. Even with a 100% tariff, they still affordable for middle class people.

[Skybird]

[NZZ] The fact that from a liberal perspective there is no need to shed a tear for the failed traffic light government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz was once again brought to the attention of the German public in the Bundestag this Wednesday. In a government statement that was delivered energetically but failed to recognize the seriousness of Germany's economic situation, the outgoing Chancellor showed no concept of how he intends to lead the stagnating country back to success.

Instead, he made general appeals for solidarity and warned against division - and blamed others. Scholz thus rehashed his story that the liberal Finance Minister Christian Lindner left him no choice but to fire him last Wednesday and thus destroy the traffic light government.

Finally, Lindner refused to agree to a suspension of the debt brake. But that would have meant that the necessary aid for Ukraine would have led to cuts in pensions or social assistance. Ultimately, this would be an economic stimulus package for extremists and populists, the Chancellor concluded, thereby making an implicit accusation against Lindner.

Quite apart from the fact that the transparent domestic political instrumentalization of Ukraine aid is shameless and that the Chancellor ultimately called on Lindner to violate the constitution, this accusation falls back on Scholz. Because no one has benefited more from the policies of his unprecedentedly unpopular government than Germany's political fringes.

It was therefore not surprising that the Christian Democratic opposition leader Friedrich Merz turned the ball Scholz had put in front of his goal into a goal. The Chancellor is the one responsible for the division in Germany, Merz said to Scholz.
Above all, however, the appeals to social cohesion made by Chancellor Scholz are codes for tough redistribution policies and unbridled borrowing. The fact that the SPD believes it can successfully appeal to German voters at the end of February with this political offer is one thing. But doing this on a day when the so-called economic experts are predicting only minimal growth for the country in the coming year is another matter and shows how out of date the concepts of the Chancellor and the SPD are.

The ousted Finance Minister Lindner therefore gave Chancellor Scholz the right answer in his response: it is not the zero-sum logic of redistribution that will help Germany, but only growth, prosperity and jobs for all.

Unlike during the long years of the grand coalition under Angela Merkel, a future Chancellor cannot simply build on a growing economy, but must first painstakingly create the conditions for one.

And both the FDP and the Union have presented serious concepts. At their core, both are concerned with unleashing the German economy. The necessary measures for this are cutting back on bureaucratic proliferation and a different energy policy that does not rely solely on the power of wind and solar power. At the same time, the debate in the Bundestag showed how difficult it will be to implement this program politically.

There will be no clear majority in the future government for the fundamental changes in direction outlined by the Union and FDP. The reason for this is the German proportional representation system, but also the strength of the AfD, with which nobody wants to work. A presumed Chancellor Merz will therefore probably have to implement his far-reaching reform plans with one or more of the previous traffic light partners.

With the FDP, if it makes it into the Bundestag, there is undoubtedly the greatest overlap. However, as of today, a majority is a long way off for the two parties.With the SPD and the Greens, on the other hand, the problems that have led to insoluble tensions in the traffic light government would once again reveal themselves under different circumstances.

There would then be a Chancellor who at least has a realistic picture of the actual situation. But whether he can then convince his partners of this is the big question.
-----------

No, that is no question. The CDU, now roaring and jumping like a tiger, will turn red-green-woke, I am confident to almost guarantee that. It will land as a carpet, therefore. Germans will vote CDU - and get a contitnuaiton of the red.-green.-woke agenda and policy there is right now and is at the EU top level.

You can take me by my word.

A first omen already is that the CDU agreed to have elections just in loate February. If the no cinfidnce vote would, have been held yesterday, the German president would have had a maximum of 21 days to dissolve parliament, and then the constitution demands that elecitons must be held 60 days thereafter at the latest. That, all in all, would have been mid-to end of January. Scholz wanted elections even not before mid-march, originally, three weeks later than now. Merz, this great Männele with the tiger voice and the land-like-a-carpet ability, had no reason to agree to mid February. No other reason at leats than that him and the SPD negotator are said to be close friends.

You must fear the worst. After the election will be like before the election. There are no alternatives to the current mess as long as AfD gets ruled out, it is the on ly power option avialable to the CDU thsat doe snot force it under the green-red-woke spell. After the election will be like before the election.

And who knows how long they negotiate coalition terms after mid February. We have no government in Germany furm now until then, and we already had none worth the term in past months and years. The last budget one year ago was ruled out by the Federal High Court. The current one again bases on violating the constitution.

Summary: nothing an no bettering is to be expected form the next government next year. As long as the AfD is ruled out as a coalition partner, every voter will just get more green-red-woke. Thbe CDU voter will ge tthat. The AfD voter will get that. and the green and red voter will get that.

The "Brandmauer" (=firewall against the AfD) has made the whole election pointless and paralyses every democratic movement taking place. Vote whatever you want - you always will get more green-red-woke. There is no hope to escape from this nightmare. Its like this since at least 20 years.

[Skybird]

^ I am following Trump's cabinett building with some interest. He has assigned quite some people who are very critical of Germany. I hope he/they will hit Germany right on its big mouth, with full power. It seems Germany desperately needs to get beaten up by a hard reality that has lost it patience with this nation-wide mental asylum Germany has been turned into.

I shall find it most amusing.

[Jimbuna]

Funeral in Berlin: Scholz pulls the plug on his coalition

As Europe digested the US election result last week, three leading figures of the German government were holding crisis talks in Berlin, said The Economist. But Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck and the finance minister, Christian Lindner, weren't discussing how best to respond to Donald Trump's proposed tariffs or the likely US stance on Ukraine: "they were deciding whether to blow up their fraying coalition.

Barely 12 hours later, it was all over – and how." In a "blistering speech", Scholz eviscerated Lindner, who leads the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), for his "incomprehensible egotism" and promptly fired him. The three parties that made up the "traffic-light" coalition that took office in 2021 – Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD), the FDP and the Greens – had lost patience with each other long ago, but this was the final blow. Scholz has brought "one of the most unpopular governments in modern German history" to an "ignoble end".

Not before time, said Jan Schäfer in Bild (Berlin). Far from tackling Germany's major problems, from its stagnant economy to its failing asylum policies, the coalition "led the country into an even deeper mess" with its meddling and infighting. To be fair, the origins of the economic mess should be traced to the failure of former chancellor Angela Merkel, said Wolfgang Münchau in The Times: it was she who allowed the economy to become over-reliant on a few industries like cars and chemicals; dependent on Russia for gas; dependent on China for exports. It was she who allowed Germany to fall far behind in digital tech; it now has one of Europe's worst mobile phone networks, and many shops "still only accept cash".

The economic crisis may be of long standing, said Alexander Marguier in Cicero (Berlin), but Scholz is to blame for "the deepest political crisis since the founding of the Federal Republic". He tried to force Lindner to suspend the constitutional rules that limit the size of Germany's deficit in order to facilitate help for Ukraine, knowing Lindner wouldn't agree: then he sacked Lindner when he baulked. Scholz's lame-duck minority government will now have to soldier on until snap elections, called for early 2025.

And each of the coalition parties is likely to come a cropper in these elections, said Nette Nöstlinger on Politico (Brussels): Scholz's SPD is polling at a miserable 16%; the FDP and Greens are doing even worse. All three face growing challenges from both the hard-left populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, and the far-right AfD. But it's Friedrich Merz, of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), who's likely to be Germany's next chancellor, said Josef Kelnberger in Süddeutsche Zeitung (Munich). We can only hope he will rid the country of its new reputation as the "sick man of Europe", and offer real leadership at a time when the EU confronts the prospect of a second Trump presidency and a surge in support for the far-right.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world...1c1d0473&ei=18