[Negotiator]

The second-largest party in germany, the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands, socialdemocratic party [of] germany), discusses again if they should even bother appointing a chancellor candidate.

German link: http://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deu ... 17756.html

Translation of the most crucial parts follows.



German original:

In der SPD wird erneut darüber diskutiert, ob die Partei bei der Bundestagswahl 2017 die Kanzlerschaft oder nur eine erneute Regierungsbeteiligung anstreben sollte. „Unser erstes Ziel sollte sein, dass keine Regierung in Berlin ohne die SPD gebildet werden kann. Das wäre ein guter Erfolg“, sagte Schleswig-Holsteins Ministerpräsident Torsten Albig (SPD) der „Rheinischen Post“.

English Translation:

The SPD discusses again if it should strive in the election 2017 for chancellor or just being part of the government. "Our primary goal needs to be that its impossible to form a government in Berlin without the SPD. That would [already] be a success", said Schleswig-Holsteins prime minister Torsten Albig (SPD) in the newspaper "Rheinischen Post".

So ... the goal is to be part of the administration, no matter what you actually do in it ? I wished I was more surprised about this overwhelming storm of political ambition and conviction.



German Original:

Zudem lehnte Albig Planspiele für ein rot-rot-grünes Bündnis auf Bundesebene ab und lobte die Arbeit von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU).

English Translation:

Additionally Albig condemned all planning for a red-red-green alliance in the central government and praised the work of chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).

And what about at very least red-green, i.e. SPD and Grüne (Green Party) ? Shouldnt that be at least a possibility ?!?!? Or red-yellow-green, aka SPD-FDP (Libertarian party)-Grüne, the so-called traffic light coalition ? Shouldnt the possibility for such coalition at very least exist in order to allow the SPD to make demands towards the CDU in case the large coalition is repeated again ?

Or is the SPD, according to Albig, reduced to be the willfull servant of the CDU and do their bidding ? Why are they then a separate party at all ?!?



German Original:

Merkel werde ihrer Verantwortung als Bundeskanzlerin in schwerer Zeit gerecht, sagte der SPD-Politiker. Die große Koalition zeige aber, dass sie eine SPD als starken und verlässlichen Partner an ihrer Seite brauche. Deutschland habe in den vergangenen Jahren alle Herausforderungen sehr gut gemeistert.

English Translation:

Merkel would do a great job as chancellor during a hard time, said the SPD politician. The large coalition (i.e. CDU + SPD) shows that she needs the SPD as a strong and reliable partner. Germany has mastered all challenges in recent years very well [, he claims].

Is it really the task of the social democrats to praise the christian democrats ?!?!? I think this strongly borders to causing damage to the own party - a reason for expulsion.

With this status of the discussion, one could as well declare germany a monarchy again, with Angela Merkel as the empress. For voting the central government seems to be kind of redundant anyway for the next years, isnt it ?



German Original:

Schäfer reagierte verärgert auf den Vorstoß. „Das Lob für Angela Merkel sollte Torsten Albig endlich Horst Seehofer überlassen“, kritisierte er mit Verweis auf den CSU-Chef. Zudem bezeichnete der SPD-Fraktionsvize die Absage an ein rot-rot-grünes Bündnis als falsch.

English Translation:

Schäfer reacted enraged about this comment. "Torsten Albig should leave the job of praising Angela Merkel to Horst Seehofer (*)", he critized. The SPD fraction vice president also said a general refusal of the possibility of red-red-green is wrong.

And yes, the article hasnt mentioned Schäfer before, he gets introduced in this funny way at the very end.



(*) Horst Seehofer is the leader of the CSU, the christian socialist union. This party only exists in Bavaria, which in turn has no CDU. In the central government, these two parties traditionally combine into a single fraction. This trickery allows them to hold more mandates, because the CSU as a small party gets more mandates and because they are so strong in Bavaria they always manage the 5% barrier.

[Decky]

German social democrats have always been friends of the right. They put more effort into fighting the communist party than fighting the Nazis. The centre left have never been friends of the workers. They felt getting the KPDs armed workers militias off the streets was a bigger priority than getting the brown shirts off the streets.

[Frollein]

Their polling results have been so abysmal that they don't have a chance at providing the next chancellor anyway. But of course the signal they're sending out is deeply undemocratic, because if there is only one candidate, "choosing" becomes absurd. Perhaps they misunderstood the slogan "one (wo)man - one vote"?

[Atlantis]

There is likely to be a numerical majority on the left of Merkel's CDU. The question of whether or not a red-red-green coalition government will be formed depends largely on whether the far-left Die Linke will moderate its extreme position, for example on the refugee issue, to qualify for government.

I also think the current SPD leader Gabriel is unsuitable as chancellor. I would prefer somebody like Oppermann.

The alternative is another GroKo and a fourth term for Merkel.

[Albert]

^
Markel should have resigned or been deposed in revolt long time ago. It is crazy that she is still allowed to be anywhere near the Bundestag.

[Decky]

The SDP killed Rosa Luxembourg. Social Democrat = National socialist.