Germany

Comment: put an end to the political carnival

The new government coalitions in three States will not bring the political landscape of a mess. The parties are too similar. Only the AfD could change that, says Kay-Alexander Scholz.

Policy – or, rather, the Party of disaffection were frequently quoted buzzwords in the last ten years in Germany. Sociologists languages in reference to the epoch of the bourgeois retreat into the Private sphere prior to the Revolution of 1848, of a “second Biedermeier”. A visible sign of this lost pleasure of politics and parties, a low turnout was. In some state elections only every Second gave its vote – in local elections it was less.

This had its reason: The nationwide parties represented on the Union, the SPD, the greens and the FDP had wanted a comfortable place in the political center. Because elections are, finally, only to win there, as it was always. So politics was always boring, the differences were hidden behind masks as in the carnival. Last ideological hurdles, such as nuclear energy and conscription had been cleared by the CDU leader and Chancellor Angela Merkel from the table. Only the left party defended their unique features such as the ‘ no ‘ to operations abroad of the Bundeswehr. Even that, however, did not succeed on all issues: The issue of minimum wage, for example, was taken from the Left successively, and in the middle of pulled.

In the Wake of the mid –

Also, the political leadership staff has changed and was of an increasingly homogenised section of the population, namely, how sociologists would say, the mid-Milieus. Unlike, for example, in the UK, where traditionally, politicians from the top layer. Representatives of the under layer is lost in the SPD in accordance with the social reforms of the years 2003 to 2005, your home. Even the really proletarian left party in the East turned increasingly to their academic Milieu.

Kay-Alexander Scholz is a correspondent in the DW-capital Studio

This condition has fundamentally changed nothing. Therefore, it is not surprising, if in three States now likely alliances will come to Power, can not be colorful: SPD/FDP/Green in Rhineland-Palatinate, the CDU/SPD/greens in Saxony-Anhalt, and a Green/CDU in Baden-Württemberg. As a result of the strong mid-orientation can, in fact, form a coalition with anyone – it is, in principle, compatible. Although there is still dispute about the number of police officers or school structures. On really high hurdles but is no more need to jump. Only a couple of bitter pills to be distributed. The Largest must swallow the CDU in Baden-Württemberg, which will now join the government, in all likelihood, under a green Minister-President. Eventually, these pills are digested. The new coalitions will change, even if it may superficially look that way, to the political content a little.

In response to the AfD

Were it not for the AfD. Founded in 2013, the right-oriented party has the potential to leave the party range really colorful. Because the other parties will have to respond to the new competition from the right superior, to win the lost voters back. This could lead to a Re-profiling. It would be good, would the SPD more social democracy. Would not protect the Green, only wolves and wind turbines. More free spirits would have with the FDP back in charge. Would take care of the left party is honest to the suspended parts of the under layer. And the CDU would listen more to their party’s conservative base.

Bad for the democratic dispute, the parties would choose the opposite way and out of fear of the AfD even more in the political middle cuddle together. Because creative energy in the democratic discourse is only due to friction in various positions. One thing has certainly changed: In the recent elections, the turnout has been much higher. This is a good sign!

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