German federal election (September 18, 2005)

[Colin]

Is there a map showing the current state of the parties ?

Results of the last election in the direct seats:

What does the shading represent? I'm guessing percentage of popular vote but if somebody could give me some sort of key, or translate the German, that would be great.

[Colin]

I'd appreciate it if you could provide more information about the Free Democrats.

Well from what I can tell they are economically right and socially centrist to liberal. They are basically a classical liberal, right of centre liberal, or libertarian party. I believe they are also the most economically far right party in Germany.

[Colin]

To what extent is the CDU making inroads in what used to be East Germany?

Their best results have been in Saxony and Brandenburg but this is mostly because of very popular CDU politicians in both of those areas. CDU does better in state elections in the east but they are still no where near as powerful as they are in the west.

[Colin]

PDS beating FDP, hell yeah!

It's not that hard to do that really. I don't think the FDP has gotten above 8% in an election since the 1980's, IIRC. When you combine one party that was polling at 5% and another that was polling at 3% you're going to get a party that is polling around 8%. It's simple addition. While they have picked up support recently, I believe their up to 11% now, the PDS, well it really isn't the PDS anymore, is only doing well because of a complete dislike of Schröder on the left. I actually find it more suprising, but not completely suprising, that the PDS-WASG or whatever the heck their calling themselves now is polling ahead of the Greens. 

[Colin]

Wow just wow. This is absolutely crazy. I was looking for some sort of election news last night on Cable News Channels, yeah right they were stuck on Katrina still and not even headline news would say a single word about it. This and Deutsche Welle doesn't start broadcasting till 2 AM on one of the local cable access channels. I read the Pittsburgh paper and their's just a small snipet on it saying that a Grand Coalition was likely and not much else. But now I see the headline on the Finanacial Times.

Election Deadlock in Germany
Chancellor and Challenger Both Claim Victory; Shroder Rules Out Working Under Merkel Leadership

Well this is quite a mess it seems. This is what happens when you have 20% of the electorate undecided into the final week. I was suprised about that FDP result, much better than even I expected but the SPD and the CDU/CSU having a nearly equal share of the seats? That's just insane. I think the best that can be hoped for now is an actual working government within the next month. I personally think the Jamaican Coalition may actually be the option that wins out in the end, although I would seriously doubt its stability although not to the extent of a Grand Coalition.

Question to the Germans, or anyone else who knows more about the selection of the German chancellor than I, can a party abstain when a chancellor is being elected in the Bundestag? Is their any chance that Die Linkspartei could do this?

Also 4.9% for NPD in Saxony. Good lord what has Germany come to.

[Colin]

The "official" colour of the CDU is actually orange.

No it's not. That was their official election colour not their party colour. Their party colour always has been, and will remain, black. They chose orange for the campaign because an ad agency said that it would look better and stand out more than black, IIRC.