Green Candidate and Kingmaker: Annalena Baerbock Holds the Keys to Germany's Next Election
#International #Germany #GermanPolitics #GermanElection #GreenParty #SocialDemocraticParty #ChristianSocialUnion #ChristianDemocraticUnion #GermanElection2021 #AnnalenaBaerbock

This fall, a politician with the Green Party could become German chancellor for the first time․ Annalena Baerbock is a far more dynamic candidate than her conservative and center-left competitors - and she could be poised for a senior position in the next government, if not the country's top political office․

Flood Disaster Could Become a Major Issue in German Election
#International #Germany #NaturalDisasters #ClimateChange #GermanElection2021

This week's devastating floods in western Germany could very well bring climate change to the forefront of the country's national election․ A similar weather disaster in 2002 tipped the ballots․

Germany's SPD on the Rise: Olaf Scholz Aims to Succeed Merkel By Emulating Her
#International #Germany #GermanPolitics #GermanElection2021 #GermanElection

Germany's Social Democrats appear to be rising from the dead as the general election approaches․ In Olaf Scholz, the party has found a candidate whose leadership style could be a lot like Angela Merkel's․

The Laschet Disaster: The Slow-Motion Collapse of Merkel's CDU
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #GermanPolitics #AngelaMerkel #ChristianDemocraticUnion

Angela Merkel's conservatives could be facing an historical debacle at the polls in this year's election․ Their candidate, Armin Laschet, has been anything but inspiring, and his stumbles could have deep consequences for the stability of German politics․

An Opportunity Lost: How Germany's Green Party Went from Top to Flop
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #GreenParty #GermanPolitics #AnnalenaBaerbock #AngelaMerkel

This spring, the Green Party was soaring in the polls and it even looked as though their candidate, Annalena Baerbock, could become chancellor․ But then, it all fell apart․ What happened?

A Fragmented Party Landscape: German Voters Punish Merkel's Party in an Election Without a Clear Victor
#International #Germany #GermanPolitics #AngelaMerkel #GermanElection2021 #SocialDemocraticParty #ChristianDemocraticUnion #GreenParty #FreeDemocraticParty

As expected, German voters declined to choose a clear victor on Sunday, setting the stage for a difficult search for a governing coalition․ Angela Merkel's CDU suffered an abysmal result while the Social Democrats have new life․ Ultimately, though, two other parties will play kingmaker․

What Election Disaster?: The Odd Parallel Universe of Armin Laschet
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #GermanPolitics #ChristianDemocraticUnion

Armin Laschet, the chancellor candidate from Angela Merkel's CDU, refuses to accept his defeat․ In his world, he can still become Germany's next leader․

The Radical Right Loses Ground: Germany's AfD Bickers over Future Direction
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #GermanPolitics #AlternativeforGermany

The right-wing populist party AfD sought to paper over its deep split between the moderate and extremist wings for the campaign․ Now that the party won fewer votes than expected, that divide is once again front and center․

Germany's Kingmakers: Difficult Talks Ahead for Greens and Free Democrats
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #GermanPolitics #GreenParty #FreeDemocraticParty

The Green Party and the business-friendly Free Democrats plan to hold exploratory talks with each other before meeting with the main chancellor candidates in the coming days․ They appear to be worlds apart but are already finding some common ground․

German Chancellor Frontrunner Olaf Scholz: “I Want To Make the World a Better Place”
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #SocialDemocraticParty #GermanPolitics #OlafScholz

In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats, the front-runner to become Germany’s next chancellor, discusses his plan to create a stable government and reveals what he has in common with Angela Merkel․

The Success of the AfD: Why Is the Right Wing So Strong in Eastern Germany?
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #ChristianDemocraticUnion #AlternativeforGermany #RightWingPopulism

The right-wing radical party AfD emerged from last Sunday's election as the strongest political force in the eastern German states of Saxony and Thuringia․ What did the mainstream parties do wrong?

The Post-Merkel Era: German Conservatives Need to Take a Step Back
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #ChristianDemocraticUnion #AngelaMerkel #GermanPolitics

After 16 years in government and a disastrous election result, German conservatives have lost their way․ It is time to stop pretending that they can be part of the next government and begin the process of renewal․

Foreign Policy: The Global Challenges Germany's Next Chancellor Faces
#International #World #GermanElection2021 #GermanForeignPolicy #UnitedStates #JoeBiden #China #Russia #EuropeanUnion #France

During this month's election, the candidates didn't say much about geopolitics and Germany's role in the world․ That could come back to haunt Berlin in the coming months․ A preview of what to expect from Washington, Paris, Brussels, Moscow and Beijing in the months to come․

How Stable Is Germany's New Coalition?: The First Fractures Become Apparent in Berlin
#International #Germany #GermanPolitics #GermanElection2021 #AnnalenaBaerbock #GreenParty #FreeDemocraticParty #SocialDemocraticParty #OlafScholz

The coalition talks were secretive and the three parties involved sought to exude unity and harmony․ Now that Germany's next coalition agreement has been presented, though, fractures are becoming apparent․ And surprisingly, the Greens may not be the Social Democrats' favorite child․

FDP Head Christian Lindner on Germany's New Coalition: "People Don't Want to Be Dragged Down Any Longer by Quarreling"
#International #Germany #GermanPolitics #GermanElection2021 #BankingandFinance

Christian Lindner is set to become Germany's next finance minister․ In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, he talks about his plans for his portfolio, how he intends to pay for them and the new government's strategy for the ongoing pandemic․

German Foreign Minister-Designate Annalena Baerbock: "I Don’t Believe in Applying Old Labels To New Geopolitical Developments"
#International #Germany #GermanElection2021 #GermanForeignPolicy #GreenParty

Annalena Baerbock of the Green Party is slated to become Germany's first female foreign minister․ She spoke to DER SPIEGEL about the policy challenges the country faces abroad and the more immediate crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic․

Resurrection of the SP: The Unexpected Rise of Germany's New Chancellor, Olaf Scholz
#International #Germany #OlafScholz #GermanPolitics #GermanElection2021 #SocialDemocraticParty

Not all that long ago, it looked like Germany's Social Democrats had reached the end of the line․ Now, Olaf Scholz is in the Chancellery․ It is perhaps the most unlikely political success story in Germany's postwar history․