CDU wary after Stuttgart rail project approval

Article reports that the German state of Baden-Württemberg, heartland of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, was bracing for a raucous ride to regional elections in March 2011 after an independent mediator Heiner Geissler gave his blessing to the highly divisive railway project called Stuttgart 21, although calling for some concessions from Deutsche Bahn.

Subsequently, the newly triumphant Green Party in Baden-Württemberg in 2011 agreed to put the bitterly controversial train-station project up for popular vote in October 2011. Greens and Social Democrats can't agree on the expensive renovation known as Stuttgart 21 -- but German commentators think the Greens have more to lose.

ESO: Background information: Train protest threatens to derail CDU http://www.europeansources.info/record/train-protest-threatens-to-derail-cdu/

Deutsche Welle, 30.11.10: Mediator: Stuttgart railway project should go ahead http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6282228,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 21.4.11: 'Greens Will Have to Give Way' on Stuttgart Redevelopment http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,758491,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 4.7.11: German Rail Allegedly Hid Price Tag of Stuttgart 21 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,772173,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 29.3.11: Construction frozen on controversial Stuttgart 21 rail project http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14951559,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 1.12.10: 'The Demonstrations Against Stuttgart 21 Will Go On' http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,732228,00.html

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