German Politics Thread

Because he keeps trying to make individual trade deals with EU members, which simply doesn't work - so what else is there to do than explain it to him for the eighteenth or so time?

Edited by DrunkenNordmann on Jul 3rd 2018 at 5:04:54 PM

I suspect that Trump simply does not believe in rules in diplomacy. According to him, countries can do whatever they want, as long as they are able and willing. So given enough motivation, he believes that other countries would tear up decades of diplomatic tradition.

One shouldn't forget that Seehofer is hardly the first annoying conservative Merkel has pushed out of her path. There have been multiple attempts to get rid of her even before she was chancellor and it always ended the same way...someone had to resign and she was still around in the end. Merkel is a savvy politician, one shouldn't never make the mistake of thinking that she is vulnerable just because she isn't particularly loud.

Trump doesn't believe in rules full stop, and he'll go after anything he's feeling inferior to (and therefore needs to dominate). To further twist the knife for Donald, Merkel suffers from the criminal offence of being a woman — he'll see her as a target for taking down no matter what the realities might be of their trade relationship.

Fortunately, Merkel's got a few more brain cells than Trump does. And a great deal more patience, too. More importantly, she has a spine.

Edited by DrunkenNordmann on Jul 3rd 2018 at 7:23:48 PM

Schröder....Erdogan....whoever was responsible for the CSU at any time...

And a good part of the former CDU leadership.

Understatement of the fucking century right there.

I would strongly advise Merkel to start planting the seeds for her own succession sooner rather than later, though. She's starting to come off as indispensable to continued stability, and in the words of a former Icelandic president, it doesn't do anyone good to start feeling they are indispensable.

Edited by DrDougsh on Jul 3rd 2018 at 11:41:38 AM

She's been grooming a few different successors already. Unfortunately for fans of competent governance, one of them is the current Defense Minister.

My Money is on Kamp-Karrenbauer.

Possible...she is fairly popular. But I can see the more conservative wing of the CDU pushing for Spahn...hopefully Merkel's tactic to give him Social services will work out in the long run….

The SPD will most likely go with Scholz, I am not sure though if they can convince the voters that they reformed.

You don't see a future in Nahles?

x5

I'm British. It's my duty to understate.

Not really. Plus, no matter how much the SPD claims to be a left party, they are still pretty much a boys club.

Yeah. Also, according to a YouGov poll, there's sort of a sense on the street that even if Merkel is an excellent leader, it's time for a change. I mean, she could last another 10-20 years as Chancellor, but would that be healthy for the government of Germany once she stepped down?

I do agree that, in any democracy, having the same leader for 15 years+ is a bit unhealthy. That said, Merkel is better than most of the other options, but an infusion of new blood is critical.

Let us just hope that KK does not screw up like Merkel's other potential successors did before.

I doubt that Merkel will even run another time. She was already reluctant this time around and mostly did it because of Trump and the lack of any other option around.

Honestly, they should support her for her last term. She is hardly the first chancellor who is around for four terms, so let's not act as if this is the end of the world.

So remember when I said I gave it a month before Seehofer starts shit again?

Guess who, on his own initiative, wrote a strongly worded letter to Brussels demanding that the UK retains unrestricted access to the EU security apparatus after Brexit because 'the safety of EU citizens is paramount before anything else's.

Including, apparently that EU citizens can still appeal to EU courts in the UK.

It hasn't even been a *week*

Edited by 3of4 on Jul 6th 2018 at 3:34:37 PM

Guess May visited the wrong German politician...anyway, this is thankfully barely a problem. The EU is too rule based for there being made exceptions for a third state that easily, but Barnier has his marching order.

Its more that this is I. NOT SEEHOFERS BALLWICK II. Pissing off our EU Partners because of I.

So, yes, its a Problem.

Edited by 3of4 on Jul 6th 2018 at 5:08:41 PM

Sure, but it is mostly an intern problem. The EU leadership knows perfectly well that Seehofer is on borrowed time. And thankfully Merkel just did exactly what she was supposed to do by basically telling May "why are you visiting me? You should talk to Brussels about this." As long as Merkel sends the right signals, Seehofer is at best a nuisance.

Apparantly both Vienna and Rome are unhappy with the CSU/CDU agreement because it would place additional burdens on them.

Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

So this isn't really politics, but I'm going to Berlin next week on holiday. Any suggestions or tips on places to go and things to see?

We have a German Culture Thread.

Edited by Kiefen on Jul 9th 2018 at 4:15:31 PM