German poster Parliament

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Same as the UK thread. Who would be the cabinets for the 5 parties, what type of government would we have and who'd be PM?

[7,052,770]

tell me about the parties and I'll make a list.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I could give descriptions but Al or Lewis would do a much better job.

[bullmoose88]

This would be interesting, but I have very little knowledge of German Politics.

[Cubby]

I'd be a Social Democrat (SPD) since the Greens don't care about social policy, Angela Merkel looks like a Bassett Hound, the Left Party is too new, I don't know enough yet. And I disagree with the Free Democrats on economic grounds.

No seriously, the Christian Dems are too conservative, my apologies to Frau Merkel

[minionofmidas]

I'd be a Social Democrat (SPD) since the Greens don't care about social policy, Angela Merkel looks like a Bassett Hound, the Left Party is too new, I don't know enough yet. And I disagree with the Free Democrats on economic grounds.

No seriously, the Christian Dems are too conservative, my apologies to Frau Merkel

[DanielX]

I'm almost certain to be a rather radical FDP member, probably the German equivalent of a rowdy backbencher.

[afleitch]

I would probably be in the FDP or the CDU. Whcih one exactly i'm not so sure, I used to say FDP but i may be too centrist for that.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I would probably be in the FDP or the CDU. Whcih one exactly i'm not so sure, I used to say FDP but i may be too centrist for that.

Actually Bono told me the Greens have a economically conservative faction, you'd probably fit best in that.

[Cubby]

I'd be a Social Democrat (SPD) since the Greens don't care about social policy, Angela Merkel looks like a Bassett Hound, the Left Party is too new, I don't know enough yet. And I disagree with the Free Democrats on economic grounds.

No seriously, the Christian Dems are too conservative, my apologies to Frau Merkel

I base my opinion, perhaps unfairly, on Ralph Nader in 2000, when he implied that social issues/civil rights were a distraction from other more important topics and that he didn't really care much about them. I take it from your response that the German Green party is more open to my concerns.

[Middle-aged Europe]

German parties usually don't have shadow cabinets. The CDU had unofficial/provisional shadow cabinets called "Kompetenzteams" in the last two elections. But those were specifically put together for the upcoming elections and were no permanent institutions.

You have also to keep in mind that we have coalition governments. A ministry you already had someone designated for in your "Kompetenzteam" could very well go to your coalition partner after the election. Or someone decides to not take the office after the election for a particular reason.

For example, Wolfgang Schäuble was responsible for foreign policy in Angela Merkel's "Kompetenzteam", despite the fact that the Foreign Ministry is traditionally reserved for the junior coalition partner. Schäuble is now Merkel's interior minister.

An second example would be Merkel's former "shadow finance minister" Paul Kirchhof. Before the election he made clear that he would only take this office under a CDU/FDP govenrment and not in a CDU/SPD coalition. We got the latter now (and the Finance Ministry went to the SPD anyway).


So, we should perhaps answer some more specific questions:
1) How would a CDU/FDP cabinet made up of forum members look like?
2) How would a SPD/Green cabinet made up of forum members look like?
3) How would a CDU/SPD cabinet made up of forum members look like?




Current cabinet positions in Germany are:

-> Chancellor

-> Vice chancellor (has to be one of the following cabinet ministers; traditionally it's the foreign minister, but there were also exceptions from this rule; the vice chancellor is usually also a member of the junior partner, for example the FDP in the case of a CDU/FDP coaliton)

-> Foreign Affairs

-> Interior

-> Justice

-> Finance

-> Economy and Technology

-> Labor and Social Affairs

-> Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture

-> Defense

-> Family, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth

-> Health

-> Transportation and Construction

-> Environment, Nature Conservation, and Reactor Security

-> Education and Research

-> Economic Cooperation and Development (= Foreign Aid)

-> Head of the Chancellor's Office ( = Chief of Staff to the Chancellor)




As already mentioned, the Foreign Ministry is traditionally reserved for the junior partner. In "small" coalitions, the FDP or the Greens get two (three at most) other cabinet posts in addition to the foreign minister. In grand coalitions (CDU/SPD), the cabinet posts are almost equally divided between the two parties.

The FDP is usually associated with Foreign Affairs, Justice and Economy. The Greens held Foreign Affairs, Environment, as well as Health/Consumer Protection (from '98 to '01 Health, since then Consumer Protection).

Now, I have supplied you with lots of confusing information I guess.

[jokerman]

I'd be a Christian Democrat, definitly.

[Jake]

I take it from your response that the German Green party is more open to my concerns.

Extreme understatement of the year.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I'd be a Christian Democrat, definitly.

Really? In Germany they are actually somewhat economically conservative. They proposed a flat tax last election. I think you'd be a populist SPD.

[jokerman]

I'd be a Christian Democrat, definitly.

Really? In Germany they are actually somewhat economically conservative. They proposed a flat tax last election. I think you'd be a populist SPD.

Oh really?  Hmm, I certainly don't like a flat tax.  I'll have to look at the parties some more.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I'd be a Christian Democrat, definitly.

Really? In Germany they are actually somewhat economically conservative. They proposed a flat tax last election. I think you'd be a populist SPD.

Oh really?  Hmm, I certainly don't like a flat tax.  I'll have to look at the parties some more.

Plus the CDU/CSU's likely coalition partner is the libertarian FDP. Had they and FDP got a majority, that would've been the government.

[Josh/Devilman88]

I have no clue what I would be...

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I have no clue what I would be...

Probably a Green/NPD swing voter.

[Josh/Devilman88]

I have no clue what I would be...

Probably a Green/NPD swing voter.

Is the Green the same as our party?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I have no clue what I would be...

Probably a Green/NPD swing voter.

Is the Green the same as our party?

*chuckles*

and no. They are much more pragmatic. While socially liberal and peaceniks, they range from center-left to center-right economically.

[Josh/Devilman88]

I have no clue what I would be...

Probably a Green/NPD swing voter.

Is the Green the same as our party?

*chuckles*

and no. They are much more pragmatic. While socially liberal and peaceniks, they range from center-left to center-right economically.

OH ok

[KEmperor]

I have no clue what I would be...

Depends on if it's raining.

[Middle-aged Europe]

I'd be a Christian Democrat, definitly.

Really? In Germany they are actually somewhat economically conservative. They proposed a flat tax last election. I think you'd be a populist SPD.

No, actually they didn't. Angela Merkel's "shadow finance minister" Paul Kirchhof did, which caused a lot of trouble for the CDU, because Merkel was forced to clarify that a flat tax isn't a part of her campaign platform... which made the CDU look somewhat chaotic and gave the SPD an ideal opportunity to attack them.

Even with a CDU/FDP majority there would have been no chance at all for the introduction of a flat tax. First, the idea is very much unpopular among the electorate. Second, as I said, it isn't even part of the CDU's platform. And last but not least, many of the more "centrist" politicians in the CDU would have opposed it too.

[minionofmidas]

Many in the FDP liked it, though.

The idea of a Green/NPD swing voter is ... weird. And no, I don't think Josh would be anything like that. Either an irregular CDU voter or an irregular CDU/SPD swing voter or a lifelong non-voter would be my guess.

[WalterMitty]

id be in the fdp.