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3 Germany 2/26/08 Coalition Parties FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY (FDP) -Center/center right, but has formed coalition governments with both major parties. GREENS -LEFT, postmaterialist ideology (focus more on non-economic or `quality' of life issues, like social justice, environment, etc LEFT PARTY -Far left; former East Germany communists plus SPD defectors. Minor NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NPD): -far right, anti-immigrant. LEFT LEFT PARTY CENTER SPD FDP RIGHT NPD GREENS CDU/CSU 2005 Elections -After heavy losses in a state election, the sitting Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder (SPD) who was governing in coalition with the GREENS, used an obscure constitutional maneuver to force an early election. (gambling his party and future) -The opposition CDU/CSU has a 20% lead in early polls and was widely expected to win and form a new government with the FDP. -Over the course of the two month campaign, though, that early lead collapsed, setting the stage for a chaotic outcome. CDU/CSU- 226 seats and 36.8 % of seats and 35.2% SPD- 222 seats and 36.2% of seats and 34.2% Aftermath -The virtual tie between the two major parties led to competing claims by Merkel and Schroeder over who should be allowed to form the new government -As it turned out, the `ideological math' meant that forming a traditional (or even non-traditional) coalition government proved impossible. The refusal of both major parties to form a coalition including the left party and the refusal of the FDP to join any coalition including the Greens ultimately left only one possibility. The Grand Coalition -After weeks of negotiations, the Two Major parties finally agreed to form a government together, despite deep animosity and serious policy differences. - as the price of stepping aside, Schroeder demanded (and got) 8 of 14 Cabinet seats for SPD, while Merkel got only 6 for CDU. -Germany has only had such a Grand Coalition once before (1960's) and many observers feel such an arrangement is unstable. Interest Articulation -Even more than France, Germany's system of interest representation is marked by `neocorporatism' -In addition to formal/regular access to policy-MAKING phase (legislative), German interest groups have considerable role in policy-IMPLEMENTATION phase (executive). They draft and implement laws. -Most distinctive characteristic of German neocorporatism is central role played by SEMIPUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. Semipublic Institutions -Entities that are not part of the formal government structure to which the stat delegates policymaking and implementation authority. Most important German Semipublic Intuitutions -Bundesbank: Germany's central bank, sets fiscal and monetary policy; completely autonomous. -Health Insurance Funds: all major health interests (paients, insurance, providers, ect) legally obligates to coordinate the allocation of costs and benefits on national level. -Mitbestimmung (Work Co-determination): all larger private firms (2000+) are to required give labor union representatives a nearly equal number of seats on the company's board of directors; designed to 1.make management accountable to workers 2. Give labor a vested interest in firm's success Necorporatism and Democracy Advantages -Generally less political conflict -Fewer strikes/less partisan fighting. -Governmental Efficiency -Policy negotiated by principles involved: Cooperative/predictable Disadvantages -Weakens representative institutions: -Politics behind closed doors; interest groups work directly with bureaucracy, sidestep parliament. -Restricts participation: -Only recognized interests allowed in, others denied access. -Can actually produce more conflict. -Those who feel left out may seek other ways (sometimes illegal/violent) to make voice heard. Issue Protest Movements: Squatter groups, anti-nuclear activists, etc. Ideological Extremist Groups: Barred from running as legitimate parties, often use violence (Anarchists, Neo-Nazis) Terrorist Groups: During the 1970-80s the Marxist RED ARMY FACTION stages terror attacks (including bombings, kidnappings and assassinations) in effort to overthrow the `exclusionary' political system. Why did German democracy survive in Post-WWII era? SUCCESSFUL POLITICAL ENGINEERING: basic law created structure which effectively insulated Germany from previously `fatal' challenges to democracy. VALUE CHANGE: wholesale shift in values away from extremism at both elite and mass level has created support structure for democracy. ECONOMIC SUCCESS: years of solid and equitable economic growth have added to legitimacy of democratic system. INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT:unlike after WWII, Allies rallied to help Germany rebuild rather than punish it, providing strong economic, political, and military support for democratic Germany MARSHALL PLAN: (massive US aid program to rebuild Germany after WWII) Current ISSUES: Rise of Extreme Right -Several extreme right-wing parties have made significant electoral gains recently, particularly in the east and particularly at the state (LAND) level. -The main party NPD, actually won nearly 10% of the seats in the state of Saxony in 2004. -Fear is not so much that NPD will capture power, but that their xenophobic message will be taken up by mainstream conservative parties. www.ndp-hessen.de Support mainly comes from young people who are: -ANTI-IMMMIGRANT: hostile/violent toward large Turkish and African immigrant population -ANGRY ABOUT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS: high unemployment, few opportunities and frustration with `globalization' Gastarbeiters: Foreign guest workers originally imported to help ease German labor shortages. Dealignments: Process of voters loosing traditional identification with any party. Value Added Tax: VAT: a tax on the sale or provision of anything with enhanced value including goods and services Regressive TAX: tax in which the poor pay a larger percentage or income than the rich.

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