| Author (Person) | Behr, Timo |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) |
| Series Title | FIIA Briefing Papers |
| Series Details | No.44, October 2009 |
| Publication Date | 08/10/2009 |
| ISBN | 978-951-769-238-0 |
| ISSN | 1795-8059 |
| Content Type | Journal | Series | Blog |
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Abstract: The German elections provided a clear mandate for current Chancellor Angela Merkel to form a new coalition government between her Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Liberals (FDP), led by Guido Westerwelle. Coalition talks between the two parties have started and are likely to be concluded by early November. The big winners of the elections have been the Liberals (+4.8%), as well as Germany’s two other mid-sized parties, the Greens (+2.6%) and die Linke (+3.2%). The biggest loser of the elections were the Social Democrats (SPD) (-11.2%), who return to opposition after 11 years in government. Despite Angela Merkel’s popularity, the electoral standing of the CDU has also deteriorated (-1.4%). Overall, the elections represent a clear shift in the political spectrum from left to right. They also indicate a further weakening of Germany’s two 'catch-all' parties, CDU and SPD, and will lead to a more fluid and less predictable party system. |
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| Source Link | https://www.fiia.fi/en/publication/germany-after-the-elections |
| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
| Countries / Regions | Germany |
