German Left Party Strong But Shunned by Mainstream
Social Democratic candidate Peer Steinbrück could win Sunday's election, but he would have to partner with the Left Party in order to prevail. The leftists continue to be surprisingly strong, but their...
View ArticleGerman Election System Explained
Germany's voting system is complicated, to the point that not even most Germans completely understand it. But it is one of the fairest around. Here is a brief explanation.
View ArticleMerkel Worried about Losing Votes to Weaker Partner
Angela Merkel's struggling coalition partner, the Free Democrats, may need help to get into parliament. But the chancellor is not in a generous mood. The reason can be found in the country's newly...
View ArticlePirate Party Fails to Capitalize on NSA Scandal
The Pirate Party is very unlikely to win the vote share required to enter the German parliament. It faces a future of returning to its humble beginnings -- as a splinter party with little influence.
View ArticleDecline in Voter Turnout in Germany a Danger to Democracy
With the help of intellectuals and celebrities, not voting has recently become de rigueur in Germany. But declining voter turnout harms democratic legitimacy, bolsters the power of those who prompted...
View ArticleLatest Poll Shows Governing Coalition Has Narrow Lead ahead of Election
On the eve of election weekend in Germany, the governing coalition has a narrow lead of just 1 percent, according to a last-minute poll. The upshot? The outcome of the election is anyone's guess.
View ArticleLive Coverage with Spiegel International for German Federal Election
SPIEGEL ONLINE International will provide live reporting on Germany's national election on Sunday starting at 5 p.m. CET (4 p.m. London, 11 a.m. New York, 8 a.m. San Francisco). Join us for the...
View ArticleMerkel Set to Win Third Term in German Election
Chancellor Merkel has run a bland re-election campaign. But that is exactly what voters were looking for. There are many reasons why she will win a third term on Sunday, but the primary one is her deep...
View ArticleMerkel Wins Third Term in General Election
Chancellor Angela Merkel won a historic election victory on Sunday as her conservatives scored their best result since reunification in 1990. It's a personal triumph for her, but she faces tough...
View ArticleAngela Merkel's CDU Scores Big Win But Problems Remain
It hardly gets any more exciting, more enthralling or more spectacular. This 2013 German election represents a watershed. The chancellor has triumphed, and her coalition partners the pro-business Free...
View ArticleMerkel at Peak of Her Powers as She Wins Third Term
When she took over the Christian Democrats 13 years ago, few thought Angela Merkel would last long. But after her resounding victory on Sunday, it is now clear that she has become so much more than...
View ArticleConservatives React to Success of Merkel in German Election
At 42 percent, the conservatives have pulled in their best result in 23 years. But with Merkel's party appearing to fall short of an absolute majority, the question now is who will join her in a...
View ArticleSocial Democrats Face Tough Choice Over Merkel Alliance
Is the scene now set for another grand coalition? The leadership of the SPD are putting the brakes on speculation over a potential pairing with Merkel. Following its weak performance, the party wants...
View ArticleGerman Press Comment on Election Victory of Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel is at the zenith of her power. Her historic election win on Sunday reflects how deeply Germans appreciate her no-nonsense, frugal Hausfrau style of governing, say editorials. But she now...
View ArticleFree Democrat Leader Philipp Rösler Resigns after Election Losses
Germany's Free Democrats had never fallen below 5 percent in a general election -- until Sunday. As a result, the party faces major restructuring of its leadership, with chairman Philipp Rösler being...
View ArticleEuroskeptic Alternative for Germany Has German Election Breakthrough
Despite falling short of the 5 percent hurdle required to enter parliament, the euroskeptic Alternative for Germany party performed surprisingly well in the German election. Experts say the party...
View ArticleGerman Opposition SPD Reluctant to Form Coalition With Merkel
Angela Merkel, in a hurry to find a coalition after Sunday's election, contacted the center-left Social Democrats on Monday to set up talks. But the SPD stalled her and made clear she will have to make...
View ArticleEurope Waits to See if Merkel Victory Means German Policy Change
Angela Merkel clearly won Sunday's German election, but she will need a coalition partner. Many in Europe are hoping an alliance with the center-left Social Democrats would mean a change in the...
View ArticleSocial Dems Wary of Grand Coalition with CDU as are Greens
Angela Merkel can now start looking for a coalition partner, but it will not be simple. The SPD and the Greens are both skittish about an alliance with her CDU -- and have good reason to be. Difficult...
View ArticleGraphic: How Germans Votes on Sunday
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives prevailed in the overwhelming majority of constituencies across the country. This SPIEGEL graphic breaks the CDU leader's victory down, district by...
View ArticleSocial Democrats in Germany Demand More Social Europe from Merkel
Chancellor Merkel is likely heading towards a coalition with the Social Democrats. SPD leaders have begun making concrete demands for changes to her policies on Europe. European Parliament President...
View ArticleFischer Comments: Shake Up for Green Party after Poor Election Showing
Germany's Green Party faces a shake-up after its poor performance in Sunday's election, with lead candidate Jürgen Trittin the latest to step down. Now former head Joschka Fischer is taking the party's...
View ArticleWhat Does Merkel's Win Mean for France, Turkey, the UK and Russia?
Foreign policy has never been one of Angela Merkel's strong suits. But several German allies will be watching closely to see how the chancellor might use her new-found power on the international stage.
View ArticleGerman SPD Will Demand Big Concessions for Coalition With Merkel
Despite Angela Merkel's landslide win, it could take months for Germany to form a coalition. She's only five seats short of a majority but the SPD, stung by its last foray into government with the...
View ArticleGerman Election Could Soften Merkel Stance on EU Questions
Angela Merkel's tough-nosed euro policies have divided the Continent and earned her a reputation for coldness. Now that the election has strengthened her hand and freed her of pesky partners, she has a...
View ArticleWorld Leaders React to Election Victory for Chancellor Angela Merkel
Germany's influence in Europe is at its highest in decades, and leaders around the world watched the federal election closely. Now embarking on her third term, Chancellor Angela Merkel remains a...
View ArticleMerkel Coalition Prospects Could Mean Softening of Europe Policy
A sigh of relief can be heard around the Continent, where many European countries are hopeful that a left-leaning German coalition partner could steer Angela Merkel toward a gentler course and less...
View ArticleGerman Press Review on Merkel's Search for a Coalition Partner
The Social Democrats hate the idea of a coalition with Angela Merkel, but media commentators say the party will probably have to accept one -- and could even benefit if it extracts the right price. A...
View ArticleGerman Euroskeptic Party AFD Could Unravel After Election
Germany's euroskeptic Alternative for Germany party came tantalizingly close to the threshold needed for parliamentary representation in Sunday's election. But it failed. Now members are worried that...
View ArticleGerman Politics Sees Growing Ethnic Mobilization
Parliamentarians with foreign roots were considered exotic in Germany for a long time, but that has changed. Candidates with Turkish heritage now represent a new force in the country's political...
View ArticleCDU Campaign Promises over Tax Increases in Doubt
Chancellor Merkel's conservatives unequivocally rejected tax increases in the recent election campaign. But now that they need to find a coalition partner among left-leaning parties, their tone seems...
View ArticlePress Review and News Roundup on German Coalition Talks
It's quickly becoming clear how hard it's going to be for Angela Merkel to form a new government. The SPD wants the Finance Ministry and will ballot its members on any deal. In the end, though, they're...
View ArticleMerkel to Hold Exploratory Coalition Talks With Greens
Chancellor Merkel, who is trying to form a government after falling just five seats short of a majority in the Sept. 22 election, will hold preliminary talks with the opposition Greens next week. A...
View ArticleProfessional Wrestler Ilgen Set To Take Seat In The Bundestag
The election campaign run by Germany's Social Democrats was roundly dismissed as dull, but some of the party's newest members of parliament are anything but. One of them is Matthias Ilgen, the first...
View ArticleExperts: 5 Percent Parliamentary Hurdle in Germany Should Be Lowered
Last month's election saw nearly 7 million Germans voting for parties that ultimately fell short of the 5 percent hurdle required to win seats in parliament. Political scientists are arguing for the...
View ArticleGerman Party Cleans Out Offices After Getting Voted Out of Parliament
Voted out of parliament in September, Germany's business-friendly Free Democratic Party is in the grips of an existential crisis. It has laid off 500 employees and faces an extremely uncertain future.
View ArticleMerkel Wants to Find Coalition Partner in Two Weeks
By the time the new parliament holds its first meeting on Oct. 22, Chancellor Merkel wants to know which opposition party she'll be governing with. But it could take much longer to complete the actual...
View ArticleGrand Coalition Increasingly Likely in Round Two of Merkel Talks
Angela Merkel's conservatives are holding their second round of preliminary coalition talks with the Social Democrats Monday and there's speculation that the parties could reach a deal sooner than...
View ArticleGerman Coalition Talks Failed to Yield Progress Monday Night
Coalition talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats got bogged down Monday night after an eight-hour meeting failed to produce results. Merkel meets...
View ArticleGreens End Coalition Talks with Merkel Conservatives
After a long night of talks on Tuesday night, Germany's Greens have ruled out forming a governing coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. Now her only option is to allign herself with...
View ArticleCDU and SPD Party Leaders Agree to Start Coalition Talks in Germany
Coalition talks can now officially begin as soon as next Wednesday after Chancellor Merkel's conservatives and their rival Social Democrats agreed on Thursday to move forward on building a governing...
View ArticleCDU and SPD Politicians Face Tough Coalition Talks Ahead
Chancellor Merkel's conservatives and their rivals, the center-left Social Democrats, are likely to begin official government coalition talks next week. It's a positive development, but things could...
View ArticleSPD Conference Approves Start of Coalition Talks with Merkel
Formal talks on a grand coalition between Merkel's conservatives and the Social Democratic Party are due to start Wednesday after an SPD conference on Sunday gave its blessing. But the talks could...
View ArticleMerkel and SPD Begin Official German Coalition Talks in Berlin
Official coalition talks began Wednesday in Berlin between Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democratic Party. Central topics include energy policy and the minimum wage -- as well as...
View ArticleSPD May Drop Demand for Finance Ministry in Coalition Talks
Clinching the powerful post of finance minister in coalition talks would be a major coup for the center-left Social Democrats. But they may drop the demand in return for policy concessions -- and due...
View ArticleCommentary: Social Democrats Should Fight to Control Finance Ministry
In coalition negotiations, the center-left Social Democrats appear to have backed off on their demands to control the Finance Ministry. Relinquishing the post would mean letting Angela Merkel trample...
View ArticleMerkel and SPD Agree to Rent Controls in German Coalition Talks
Coalition negotiations between German Chancellor Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats are beginning to yield results. The parties agreed Monday night to plan for capping rent...
View ArticleGerman Coalition Talks Show No Sign of Yielding Major Policies
The coalition taking shape in Berlin between Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats will have a huge majority in parliament. But the halfhearted discussion that's...
View ArticleGrand Coalition Pension Reform Will Create Inequality
Berlin's incoming government is expected to institute a wave of pension reform that could exacerbate inequality, burden workers and create huge budget headaches. So why are the parties so intent on...
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