Angela Merkel

[anonymous-user]

BlackLabel said:

Merkel on track to become Germany's longest-serving chancellor. Many thought the refugee crisis would bring her down but German voters are still willing to put their faith in her. To win a 4th consecutive term as head of government is impressive stuff.

It's also not allowed in some countries. 2 term maximum for the USA president.

If she wins she still has to win another election in 4 years time to match Helmut Kohl in terms of elections won and time served.

[Robertj21a]

Yipper said:

Been in Germany a few times recently. Merkel is seen as a Steady Eddie who never veers too wildly from the centre path. She's a safe choice in a Trumpian world. And, of course, years of okayish economic growth and her stronger grip on controlling the EU have helped.

Agreed +1

The immigration issue was an unusual, if understandable, error on her part. Fortunately, for Germany, it seems to now be viewed as just a blip in an otherwise faultless performance over many years.

[anonymous-user]

Polls have now closed.

Based on exit polls this is the state of the result.

AFD looks to have gained the top end of their projected possible numbers and will be 3rd largest party with 13% of the vote, ahead of the Greens 9%, Left 9% and FDP 10%.

CDU, Merkul looks to have won with 32%, SPD, Schultz second 20%. If the CDU and SPD join forces in coalition, the AFD will become the official opposition.

That will be the first time a far right party has elected members in parliament since the Nazi party.

[Rich_W]

jsf said:

Polls have now closed.

Based on exit polls this is the state of the result.

AFD looks to have gained the top end of their projected possible numbers and will be 3rd largest party with 13% of the vote, ahead of the Greens 9%, Left 9% and FDP 10%.

CDU, Merkul looks to have won with 32%, SPD, Schultz second 20%. If the CDU and SPD join forces in coalition, the AFD will become the official opposition.

That will be the first time a far right party has elected members in parliament since the Nazi party.

What if SPD, AFD joined together? Would they be able to sway the FDP to join them in opposition? Would Merkel really try and run a minority government?

[anonymous-user]

Rich_W said:

jsf said:

Polls have now closed.

Based on exit polls this is the state of the result.

AFD looks to have gained the top end of their projected possible numbers and will be 3rd largest party with 13% of the vote, ahead of the Greens 9%, Left 9% and FDP 10%.

CDU, Merkul looks to have won with 32%, SPD, Schultz second 20%. If the CDU and SPD join forces in coalition, the AFD will become the official opposition.

That will be the first time a far right party has elected members in parliament since the Nazi party.

What if SPD, AFD joined together? Would they be able to sway the FDP to join them in opposition? Would Merkel really try and run a minority government?

Its going to be interesting. CDU and SPD did much worse than expected so how this plays out in the coalition formation I really wouldn't like to call. In theory Schultz could end up chancellor, but I think that less likely than Merkul at this stage.

The only thing we do know at this stage is the other parties wont work with the AFD, just as we saw in Holland with Wilders, so no chance of the AFD being in a coalition.

The previous 4 years has been a CDU/SPD and that's been thoroughly rejected, so I think we will get a grand coalition of small parties with the CDU, this could take ages to sort out.

[anonymous-user]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/n...
Didn’t quite go the way that Farage & co predicted. HaHa.

[anonymous-user]

Shultz just ended the SPD/CDU coalition in his speech and will be the official opposition. So that's that one out of the equation.

[Penelope Stopit]

[quote=BlackLabel]Merkel on track to become Germany's longest-serving chancellor. Many thought the refugee crisis would bring her down but German voters are still willing to put their faith in her. To win a 4th consecutive term as head of government is impressive stuff.

Impressive to some

[anonymous-user]

Jimboka said:

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/n...
Didn’t quite go the way that Farage & co predicted. HaHa.

I wouldn't be gloating, this is a disaster result for Merkul (and Macron), yet more rise of the far right in mainland Europe. Strong and stable, doesn't look that way to me compared to this time yesterday.

[Earthdweller]

jsf said:

I wouldn't be gloating, this is a disaster result for Merkul (and Macron), yet more rise of the far right in mainland Europe. Strong and stable, doesn't look that way to me compared to this time yesterday.

I would say it's a disaster for Merkel

AFD have gone from zero seats to possibly 88 seats and become the third largest party

That is quite a breakthrough

[Earthdweller]

[anonymous-user]

Merkels speech.

"The CDU would have hoped for better result, but we mustn’t forget – looking back at an extraordinary challenge – that we nevertheless achieved our strategic objectives: we are the strongest party. We have mandate to form the new government and we will form the new government.

We have had 12 years of governmental responsibility and it was not a foregone conclusion that we would be largest party again. But this was also an election that saw the arrival in parliament of the AfD.

We will conduct a very thorough analysis; we want to regain those voters who voted for the AfD, to discover their concerns and worries ... We want to win back the AfD voters above all through good politics.

We need to work now for a just and a free country. That means we need to bring together all of the EU countries to fight against the causes of migration and to fight illegal immigration. It is clear that the topic of security is as much a worry for people as the topic of prosperity.

However, we have a mandate to assume responsibility – and we will now assume it now, calmly with our partners.
"

[slasher] That's racist [/slasher]

[anonymous-user]

Yipper said:

Been in Germany a few times recently. Merkel is seen as a Steady Eddie who never veers too wildly from the centre path. She's a safe choice in a Trumpian world. And, of course, years of okayish economic growth and her stronger grip on controlling the EU have helped.

Agreed

[Earthdweller]

jsf said:

We need to work now for a just and a free country. That means we need to bring together all of the EU countries to fight against the causes of migration and to fight illegal immigration. It is clear that the topic of security is as much a worry for people as the topic of prosperity.

However, we have a mandate to assume responsibility – and we will now assume it now, calmly with our partners.
"

[slasher] That's racist [/slasher]

Some might say Merkel is the cause of mass migration and illegal immigration

[anonymous-user]

Earthdweller said:

jsf said:

We need to work now for a just and a free country. That means we need to bring together all of the EU countries to fight against the causes of migration and to fight illegal immigration. It is clear that the topic of security is as much a worry for people as the topic of prosperity.

However, we have a mandate to assume responsibility – and we will now assume it now, calmly with our partners.
"

[slasher] That's racist [/slasher]

Some might say Merkel is the cause of mass migration and illegal immigration

The AFD voters certainly are.

Apparently in the former East Germany, more men voted for the AFD than the CDU.

Its interesting that the polls have yet again over estimated the establishment vote, if this plays out in Italy that's the Euro going bang.

[davepoth]

jsf said:

I wouldn't be gloating, this is a disaster result for Merkul (and Macron), yet more rise of the far right in mainland Europe. Strong and stable, doesn't look that way to me compared to this time yesterday.

I just did some sums. Assuming this exit poll is correct, far/alt/populist right parties across the Schengen area are polling an average of 12% of the vote, based solely on parliamentary elections. That is roughly 50 million people.

[anonymous-user]

Based on the latest elections, UK is looking the most integrated country in Europe with the least issues with immigrants. Which is exactly what we are, but you try explaining that to people like slasher,

[johnxjsc1985]

jsf said:

Based on the latest elections, UK is looking the most integrated country in Europe with the least issues with immigrants. Which is exactly what we are, but you try explaining that to people like slasher,

I like to think the only people I don't like are loud mouth jobs and to be honest there are not too many of them about. There are far more good people in this country than bad but for some reason a small minority seem to like to just focus on the idiots that we all have to suffer.

[del mar]

davepoth said:

I just did some sums. Assuming this exit poll is correct, far/alt/populist right parties across the Schengen area are polling an average of 12% of the vote, based solely on parliamentary elections. That is roughly 50 million people.

That is a lot of racist idiots !!

[anonymous-user]

del mar said:

davepoth said:

I just did some sums. Assuming this exit poll is correct, far/alt/populist right parties across the Schengen area are polling an average of 12% of the vote, based solely on parliamentary elections. That is roughly 50 million people.

That is a lot of racist idiots !!

That is a lot of very unhappy people would be just as valid an assessment. You always see a rise in far right ideology when the average persons life is going down the stter.