Tag: germany

Centrism might not be the smartest strategy for European parties

Elections are won in the political centre, right? Leftists like Schröder or Blair redefined Labour-politics and went on to dominate elections; conservatives like Merkel or Chirac were able to govern by making concessions to the left. In American politics, moderates like Clinton are considered more likely to win elections than outliers, like Sanders or Cruz. So what do you do when parties start losing in the political centre? Continue reading Centrism might not be the smartest strategy for European parties

 

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The big loser was not Merkel

Sunday’s elections in Germany are generally considered a serious blow to Chancellor Merkel’s stance on refugees. Her conservative party did not gain majorities in two states, and does have an easy government option in the other one. Meanwhile, the AfD, founded on the basis of criticism of her european policies and incorporating a growing anti-refugee sentiment, entered all three state legislatures with 12 to 24 percent of the vote. However, despite both AfD and Merkel’s CDU being on the right wing of politics, they are not the main competitors in this political shakeup. Continue reading The big loser was not Merkel

 

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Let’s talk about that “welcome culture”

The dominant theme in last year’s coverage of Germany and migration was simple: A broad societal consensus, with the two major parties behind Merkel publicly welcoming refugees and working on a diplomatic level in their interest, while civil society actors would help as much as they could. Within that frame it can be hard to see that other side of the story. Continue reading Let’s talk about that “welcome culture”

 

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