War & PoliticsGerman Election

  

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 From:  Harry (HARRYN)    20 Nov 2017 18:44 
 To:  ALL 24 of 32 
42034.24 
In the news - the various German political parties failed to form a coalition.

I can see how the various minority parties would view it all - for them, it is a rare opportunity for a strong negotiating position.

It will be interesting to see if Merkel needs to resign to bring it together, a new election, or something else.

Perhaps they need the AFD after all?

In the meantime, Germany runs along just fine with minimal need for a lot of Federal level steering and new laws + taxes.
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 From:  ANT_THOMAS   20 Nov 2017 18:59 
 To:  Harry (HARRYN)       25 of 32 
42034.25 In reply to 42034.24 
It's only been 2 months. It's not like they're not collecting taxes.
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 From:  Harry (HARRYN)    23 Feb 2018 09:25 
 To:  ALL 26 of 32 
42034.26 
At least from the news we receive in the US, it looks like the government is coming together.

It is a funny sort of deal - it appears that more or less the concept is to "pay off" other parties to join into the government.  A combination of positions and special interest funding for pet projects and concepts.

I am sure that it goes on everywhere, I am just not used to it being so obvious.  It gives the impression that more or less Merkel is selling off policy to stay in power.

Seems like a dangerous game to play for the long term, as it increasingly alienates the right end of the party.
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 From:  ANT_THOMAS   23 Feb 2018 23:54 
 To:  Harry (HARRYN)       27 of 32 
42034.27 In reply to 42034.26 
It's called compromise. If you want to form a coalition government then all parts of that government will require some of their policy ideas being made reality. Otherwise what is the point of them agreeing to being part of a coalition government if they are unable to actually act as part of the government?

It's nothing new nor sinister. It's what happens in countries with more proportional election systems that result in the requirement of a coalition being formed. Usually leads to a more moderate and centre policy direction. And potentially much more stable.
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 From:  CHYRON (DSMITHHFX)   24 Feb 2018 14:40 
 To:  ANT_THOMAS      28 of 32 
42034.28 In reply to 42034.27 
Or it leads to nutjobs like the DUP having a cudgel on your gummint.
“hooliganism comes to lawn bowling”
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 From:  Peter (BOUGHTONP)   24 Feb 2018 15:44 
 To:  CHYRON (DSMITHHFX)      29 of 32 
42034.29 In reply to 42034.28 
That's more a problem with the Tories and Theresa May, who were both already comfortable doing business with terrorist supporters and human rights abusers, so their eagerness in paying the DUP to prop her up shouldn't be a surprise.

I know almost nothing about German politics, but it appears their coalitions are at least done with the major parties - not ones who had less than 1% of the vote - so have a greater chance of being somewhat representative.
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 From:  CHYRON (DSMITHHFX)   24 Feb 2018 15:50 
 To:  Peter (BOUGHTONP)      30 of 32 
42034.30 In reply to 42034.29 
I'm all for proportional elections, but they can be abused and manipulated to give minority parties disproportionate power, as we see in places like Italy and Israel. As for Germany, it may well be that at some point in the near future, a center-right party will form a coalition with the AfD in order to form a government.
“hooliganism comes to lawn bowling”
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 From:  ANT_THOMAS   24 Feb 2018 17:44 
 To:  CHYRON (DSMITHHFX)      31 of 32 
42034.31 In reply to 42034.30 
But FPTP gives major parties disproportionate power. No perfect system but at least with a proportional systems the power is much more proportional and representative.

But yeah, what BP said. That was a poor decision that isn't even a formal coalition.
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 From:  CHYRON (DSMITHHFX)   24 Feb 2018 20:21 
 To:  ANT_THOMAS      32 of 32 
42034.32 In reply to 42034.31 
What we need is to fix stupid voters and non-voters (mea culpa, for quite a few years).
“hooliganism comes to lawn bowling”
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