Press releases
Why Red-Green Germany has lost its dynamic
publication date: 16 October 2005
It seems a rather important project has failed: the Red-Green alliance was not able to deliver more than PR talk.
Excitement about the political landscape in Germany increased when chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) announced early elections in May but no single party has been able to form a government following the elections. A long time ago Germans abandoned their loyalty to what was formerly perceived as “Left” (Social Democrats SPD) or “Right” (Christian Democrats CDU/CSU). Even the Greens have lost votes in recent elections, and their image of being different.
The opposition parties CDU/CSU and the liberals FDP had to pay the highest price for shying away from issues which could have polarised political discussions: there was no debate and no clarification about the future of the EU and the controversial question of Turkey’s integration, no statements about Germany’s “green” opposition to modern biotechnology and new energy technologies. No word neither about the authoritarian trends in German domestic politics, intervening in consumer behaviour or family life etc.
Instead the election campaigns centered around two people (Schröder and Angela Merkel, CDU) and one rather unexciting topic: tax reform in Germany. All parties presented this single topic as the big issue for Germany’s future. Instead of being too radical all the parties demonstrated incredibly low horizons in their programmes – no wonder they were not able to mobilise majorities.
But why is it, that especially the Red-Green government, which took over power from the Conservatives and Liberals seven years ago with great passion and support from large sections of society, and which ran its government with three green ministers in leading positions, has delivered such a poor result? Why, on the other hand, were the opposition parties not able to benefit from the weakness its of Red-Green alliance? It seems a rather important project has failed: the Red-Green alliance was not able to deliver more than PR talk, it was incapable of filling the political and intellectual vacuum that has emerged after the cold war. Instead the Red-Green coalition turned out to be no more than an artificial construction that brought together a Social Democratic Party in deep political crisis and the Green party with its “new left” critique of economic growths, science and modern technology. Who and what will shape the future of Germany?
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