Germany - Merz Fails To Become Chancellor In Shocking First-Round Vote
There is some astonishing shoddiness in this New York Times report about a new government in Germany.
What to Know About Germany’s New Government - (archived) - New York Times, May 6 2025
The piece is by Christopher F. Schuetze, who is "Reporting from Berlin"
Just consider this part:
Swearing in a chancellor in Germany is a parliamentary procedure that is associated with much less pomp — but much more commuting — than its American equivalent.First, Mr. Merz has to be elected chancellor by the 630-seat Parliament. The coalition holds 360 of those seats. It’s not a big majority, but since there’s no reason for anyone to stray from party lines, he is expected to win the simple majority needed on the first round. ...
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The coalition, which was finalized only yesterday, consists of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU or 'the Union') and Social Democrats (SPD). Their combined number of seats is 328 (208+120). The NYT claims that the total number of seats for the coalition is 360. That would be the case if the Union had formed a coalition with the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) which is competing with it for conservative votes.
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Not only did the NYT writer get the basic numbers wrong. He also demonstrates a total lack of insight into the mood within the coalition: "[T]here’s no reason for anyone to stray from party lines," writes the Times. Well, it turns out that there are many such reasons.
As a result of them Merz has failed to get enough votes:
German conservative leader Friedrich Merz failed to secure enough parliamentary votes to become chancellor on Tuesday in a major blow that threw politics in Europe's largest economy once more into disarray.Merz, 69, who led his CDU/CSU conservatives to a federal election victory in February and signed a coalition deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), won just 310 votes in the secret ballot in the lower house, the Bundestag, six short of an absolute majority. It meant at least 18 coalition MPs had failed to back him.
Merz is disliked by many of his party members. His personal style is rather dictatorial. He had campaigned on fiscal restrain only to turn around, immediately after the election, to lift constitutional debt restrictions.
Nine lawmakers abstained while 307 voted against Merz, said Bundestag President Julia Kloeckner.Merz, visibly shocked, rose to confer with colleagues. Party insiders had on Monday expressed confidence that he would secure a majority.
Merz is disliked not only within his own party but also by the public. A recent poll put him on rank 13 of the most favored current politicians.
Only 38% of Germans think that he will be a good chancellor. 52% says he will be a bad one, (10% don't know).
Merz is now the first ever candidate for chancellor who has failed to win his confirmation vote.
He is not enough though to knock him out. There will be a second vote and then a third in which a relative majority will be sufficient to get him elected.
For lack of decent policies and politicians Europe is self-destructing. Merz, just like Starmer in Britain and Macron in France, will try to rule tyrannically.
But without a convinced majority behind him he will have to rule much more cautiously than he would like.
Posted by b on May 6, 2025 at 11:54 UTC | Permalink
next page »At least his country visits to Poland or even the parade on 9.5.in Kiew could be derailed.
That would be a huge win 😁
Posted by: T | May 6 2025 12:20 utc | 2
Come on B, go ahead and say it: Trump.
No one is suggesting he's perfect, far from it, ranging from Palestine, Gaza, Iran, etc.
But in a world where the WEF came just this close to total global domination, ushering in the end of personal liberty, Trump alone has turned the tide of history.
One by one, country by country, national interests are regaining priority led by populist leaders. It may not happen this month, this summer, or even this year.
But the trend is clear; any respectible analyst would take note and begin assessing projected outcomes.
Posted by: Markw | May 6 2025 12:34 utc | 3
And with a serious risk of new elections soon , where it might be harder to keep BSW (officially) under 5% and AfD still rising (ban if you can’t beat)…
Meanwhile was reading an article an thinking…
This looks perfect for the us, instead of letting Europe know where to invest, just keep them wondering and every year present a list of us equipment they MUST buy to keep us in…
https://www.newsweek.com/us-roadmap-withdrawal-europe-2066614
Posted by: Newbie | May 6 2025 12:40 utc | 4
Nothing really unexpected.
Europe will turn fascist because that is the only way they can force us, EU peasant, to war economy and full war with Russia.
Same situation of Europe in the 30ies between WWI and WWII.
Posted by: Mario | May 6 2025 12:43 utc | 5
Where I live you get waves of warm and cool (I'm in a cool wave) each spring and it's not infrequent to turn on air conditioning then back to heat a few cycles. The old term for these warm waves is "an Indian summer". This temporary impediment for Merz is a political Indian summer, bask in the warmth, smile, but know it won't last.
In all honesty, Germans deserve better than Merz.
I hope this finds you well
Posted by: ockham | May 6 2025 12:48 utc | 6
Three war is profitable tyrannt class racketeers..
Welcome to nation state tyranny..
Posted by: snake | May 6 2025 13:01 utc | 9
In all honesty, Germans deserve better than Merz.
Posted by: ockham | May 6 2025 12:48 utc | 6
No, they don't. Germans killed the Slavs in the last WW, and they do it today, using Uki hands. No, they don't!
Posted by: ostrr | May 6 2025 13:08 utc | 10
Can't Merz just ban everybody else but himself? I thought that was how democracy is done these days? I mean, he supports Zelensky?
Posted by: Norwegian | May 6 2025 13:10 utc | 11
@B:
Is there a link between the plans of the EU / Germany to (dramatically) increase defence spending and the disdain / unpopularity of Merz ?
Posted by: WMG | May 6 2025 13:35 utc | 12
@WMG - Is there a link between the plans of the EU / Germany to (dramatically) increase defence spending and the disdain / unpopularity of Merz ?
He broke his election promise of financial restrain to gain more money for the military and weapon dealers. People dislike promises broken just days after putting their vote on the ballot.
So I am sure there is a link even as the (mainstream) media (afaik) do not report one.
He's known as Fotzen-Fritz.
https://www.titanic-magazin.de/heft/2000/april/gaertner-nagel-die-dunkle-seite-des-friedrich-merz/
Posted by: Moscow Exile | May 6 2025 13:53 utc | 14
Can't Merz just ban everybody else but himself?
That's what he tries to do - to then wonder if no one is around to vote for him.
German MPs are supposed to rely solely on their own conscience.
Today is a good day. Even the motor sander nearby is wheezing blithely its tune.
Thanks for the good news b
You deserve a better country than the colony of empire it has become. I hope the current events show your country taking back control from empire but we all have a ways to go, eh?
Posted by: psychohistorian | May 6 2025 14:14 utc | 17
The rational and democratic solution to this dilemma is for for people to request from their representatives to demand a no confidence vote, and find a candidate who better represents the the will of the people. If he persists in his power grab, go to the streets and demand his resignation. Remember: no taxation without representation.
Why go to a losing war with your former reliable gas supplier when its higher cost competitor blew up your cheap source of energy and destroyed your economy? It’s not rational, unless in reality utter destruction and losing “feels” better.
This whole affair has the stench of racism. If that’s the case, remember, your next energy supplier will probably be Chinese. (Sarcasm, but reality)
Posted by: Michael.j | May 6 2025 14:23 utc | 18
General consensus by citizens around the world is, our leadership sucks. There maybe a few standouts, but they are few and far between, therefore ineffective. Which begs the question, who is really running the world and what is their objective?
As far as the New York Times goes, history says they have a long poor track record. Part of that history at the NYT showed itself when management in mid 2000s said we are and have been to liberal and hired a bunch of Neocons (goons for war) to the editorial page. Remember NYT reporter Judith Miller, she had a writing partner named Michael R. Gordon when writing about Iraq. Sure, Miller was publicly fired from NYT, but Gordon still has a job there. The point is, NYT is crap and always will be.
So, when looking for an answer to, 'Who is really running the world and what is their objective?' Do yourself a big favor, do not ask the New York Times!
Posted by: MRDMK | May 6 2025 14:27 utc | 19
Why does it seem that most writers at the times are Jew?
Anyway, how did Merz manage an electoral win when he is so highly disliked?
THAT is FAR more fishy to me than anything else.
Posted by: Kay | May 6 2025 14:27 utc | 20
Why does it seem that most writers at the times are Jew?
Anyway, how did Merz manage an electoral win when he is so highly disliked?
THAT is FAR more fishy to me than anything else.
Posted by: Kay | May 6 2025 14:27 utc | 21
i hope this trend continues... it is a positive development, although i am inclined to share the viewpoint of @ Mario | May 6 2025 12:43 utc | 5
Posted by: james | May 6 2025 14:33 utc | 22
All parties including AfD voted to do a new round of voting today. (A two third vote was necessary to change the procedure.) In the second round he was elected to the job. He would have sold Donald Duck to Kentucky Fried Chicken to be Chancler.
Posted by: Johann von Oberndorf | May 6 2025 14:35 utc | 23
https://www.dw.com/en/bundestag-elects-merz-as-german-chancellor-in-2nd-vote/live-72443927
2nd vote. Indian summers don't last....
I hope this finds you well
Posted by: ockham | May 6 2025 14:39 utc | 24
Petty politics is meaningless when the leadership European Union i.e. Ursula is in charge, in violation of the national sovereignty required by the UN Charter.
Posted by: Don Bacon | May 6 2025 14:41 utc | 25
A secret voting? If you believe that, then I have a bridge to sell. They know very well how to find out who voted and how. That's why for the 2nd round, the nays were reminded what would happen to their families and loved ones if they vote nay in the 2nd round. Just like it was with the vote for Zelensky's legitimacy in Verkhovna rada. Germans have no one to blame but themselves. Keep voting for the "lesser" evil and you'll end up in bed with satan.
Posted by: 5thcolumn | May 6 2025 14:41 utc | 26
Europe will turn fascist because that is the only way they can force us, EU peasant, to war economy and full war with Russia. Same situation of Europe in the 30ies between WWI and WWII.
Posted by: Mario | May 6 2025 12:43 utc | 5
Exactly but with a nuclear twist. When you see no way to recover, like Ukr was, and like Poland is today, it means there is no recovery planned, kamikaze.
But I doubt anyone is on the same medieval level to shoot artillery duels in the same location for years, like Gerasy does. Not only is stupid, but they can't win them either. They're going to fry all bordering cities from the first weeks, especially large ones, maximum civilian deaths. They've seen the more civilians they kill, the more butt kissing Russia does because they're paralyzed. You can't shoot down your own drones during a phone call on the toilet and expect to win, can you? Someone, on both sides, is setting up all conditions to get Russia nuked with no danger for US.
Posted by: rk | May 6 2025 14:51 utc | 27
The political roiling within Germany continues to escalate as the old centrist parties hollow-out. b seems to imply that Merz will still become Chancellor of a coalition for which no confidence already appears. Meanwhile Germany continues to stagger economically primarily because of the refusal to bring back Russian gas, which would increase supply and ease prices. And then there's the Tariff War with the Outlaw US Empire that to confront Germany needs a united front politically.
Is this the same Fred Merz from "I Love Lucy"? If so, I think Ethel would make a better Kanzler.
Posted by: Klaus | May 6 2025 15:04 utc | 29
The BBC has it that a second vote has taken place which Mertz won.
Posted by: CitizenSmith | May 6 2025 15:07 utc | 30
@ markw #3
In what possible reality is trump populist? Yes, millions of morons voted for him but 'muricans are probably the dimmest political bulbs on the tree. Who was in the front row (and gave $$ millions) at the trump2 crowning ceremony?
As for the 'total global domination, ushering in the end of personal liberty' what does it matter if it's WEF or the tech-bros and zionazis? A slave is still a slave.
It is sad to see Germany going down the dark path again but this time they take their orders from the little hats.
Posted by: motorslug | May 6 2025 15:09 utc | 31
In the past months I got constantly questioned from friends around the world when will Germany rise again to the expectations they have of the country. My answer stays the same. There will be no turnaround. The country completely lost its path and any self confidence. Every glimmer of hope will be destroyed immediately by comparison with historic examples. There is really not a single political movement or person who could steer the wheel. Germany will fall apart in its pieces as also the EU will. Only than from the ashes something new and modern could rise. This will take decades or centuries. It is hopeless and clear since I would say Fukushima.
Posted by: rico rose | May 6 2025 15:16 utc | 32
Oh come'n! We are ready for Germany's debt binge that comes with this guy that looks like a dunce.
Posted by: Johan Kaspar | May 6 2025 15:21 utc | 33
Posted by: rk | May 6 2025 14:51 utc | 27
Europe will be nuked too in that case, be shure of it.
Posted by: Mario | May 6 2025 15:22 utc | 34
Michael.j | May 6 2025 14:23 utc | 18
"The rational and democratic solution..."
There won't be any more of those. Europe's on a one-way death ride to its permanent dark age, and good riddance. Too bad humanity can't build a big wall around Europe to wall them in forever.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | May 6 2025 15:25 utc | 35
Thanks for being the bearer of good tidings. Great news!
Posted by: JohnGilberts | May 6 2025 15:29 utc | 36
Typo: he won't be ruling anything. It is obvious they are disposable figureheads for deep state.
Posted by: Abe | May 6 2025 15:30 utc | 37
I would be surprised he will stay Kanzler longer than a year.
Posted by: NoName | May 6 2025 15:46 utc | 39
Das war wohl nur ein kleiner propaganda gag weil sich sonst niemand für die show interessiert hat.
Posted by: M | May 6 2025 15:59 utc | 40
So , keine Würtz am Bundestag restaurant am mittagessen ; nur Karofeln und Sauerkraut und Voila !
Yay , Mr Blackrock was "elected" ... no give money to Hellensky, and tanks, and planes , and taurus, and pisstaurus , and...
Anyway, some will find it a better outcome than Ms Goldman , for me it's hard to find a difference.
The Austrian painter re-militarized Rheinland , we won't see a chancellor demilitarize Rammstein soon enough.
Posted by: Savonarole | May 6 2025 16:00 utc | 41
Meanwhile... Polish presidential candidate Grzegorz Braun tears down the EU flag and burns it. https://t.me/rtnews/94368
Posted by: Norwegian | May 6 2025 16:10 utc | 42
Germany going down the dark path again but this time they take their orders from the little hats.
Posted by: motorslug | May 6 2025 15:09 utc | 31
It was the little hats then too. All circumstantial of course.
Posted by: Tannenhouser | May 6 2025 16:19 utc | 43
Norwegian | May 6 2025 16:10 utc | 42
"Meanwhile... Polish presidential candidate Grzegorz Braun tears down the EU flag and burns it."
Poland ought to give up on the eastward-aggressive NATO idiocy, which is just setting them up to get Ukrained (or re-1939ed) themselves. Can't these retards learn, they have no "nuclear umbrella" over them, on the contrary the US and British will never view them as anything but a proxy to be used and used up, same as 1939, same as the kokhols now.
Instead they should turn westward and take whatever land they want from the pervert Deutschbags, like the Poles make noise about from time to time. I bet most Russians would happily support such a turn, which would surely cause NATO to break up once and for all.
Posted by: Flying Dutchman | May 6 2025 16:27 utc | 44
If Germany can't collectively pull it's head out it's ass and elect a leader who puts Germany's interests before globalist desires a...dare I say, an enlightened "nationalist", all of the European "federation" will suffer.
Before anything else, Germany must admit past mistakes, no, not the effing holocaust, electrical energy generation.
That means strong-arming the delusionalists that believe they can conquer Russia, Germany really should know better...they more than any other country should not be delusional on this issue. Restart the CH4 lines, let the US companies take their cut, their pizzo, whatever, just bring back cheap, clean burning CH4. That also means strong-arming the utopians that believe they can make solar & wind work in a first tier industrial country. Solar/Wind require an equal amount of CH4 generating capacity...only in remote areas, devoid of heavy industry, do the two type make sense. It gets dark at night and as any sailor knows, the wind doesn't blow with consistency and batteries ain't cheap...although using wind to power pumps for hydro isn't unreasonable as an on demand back up.
Nuclear/hydro/CH4 electrical generation is what industry requires, it is what endless banks of computers requires, this isn't complicated, it's just, to borrow a phrase, "an inconvenient truth".
Posted by: S Brennan | May 6 2025 16:33 utc | 45
Posted by: Norwegian | May 6 2025 16:10 utc | 42
Well up to (few) years back membership in NATO and EU were a great idea! Nothing changes one's mind than being on a losing side.
Posted by: Abe | May 6 2025 16:36 utc | 46
Posted by: S Brennan | May 6 2025 16:33 utc | 45
LOL, OK. Kinda like Trump? But Germany's new preferred leader would also have to kowtow to Zionist interests and genocide or risk being assassinated, amirite? Cuz that's the main consideration you seem to hold for American "leadership".
Don't want da Mossad to disagree with any policies or speeches, amirite? Huah!
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 6 2025 16:45 utc | 47
"endless banks of computers" = Make America ISRAEL Great Again.
Trumpist morons are so....moronic.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | May 6 2025 16:46 utc | 48
'Poland ought to give up on the eastward-aggressive NATO idiocy, which is just setting them up to get Ukrained (or re-1939ed) themselves. Can't these retards learn...[anglophilic DC], the British->English will never view them as anything but a proxy to be used and used up, same as 1939, same as the kokhols now - Flying Dutchman 44
Agree with the above point but, while it's true that the English direct much of US policy, America has a large population of Polish immigrants that are fully integrated into our social fabric, not the Brzeziński types, decent, honest, hard-working Americans who don't want war for Poland...they just want decent paying jobs so that they can provide for their families.
Posted by: S Brennan | May 6 2025 16:50 utc | 49
Common nuclear doctrine is that it should never happen that the goal is to completely defeat by military means any country that has nuclear weapons. The reason is that the use of nuclear weapons is so likely that it simply shouldn't be done, thus it shouldn't be contemplated as a goal. This goes double for Russia because they have as an announced policy that they will go nuclear before they will surrender territory. That in turn creates a situation where it would be goofy stupid for the Europeans to go to war against Russia because they would have nothing to gain, and a lot to lose because the war is apt to go badly.
On the other side of it, NATO has three nations with nuclear weapons. If they really truly expect Russia to go on a territorial grab, they should announce their nuclear use doctrine. Provided it was done with restraint, they didn't overreach in intimidation, it would make war less likely. But alas, that is me assuming they would be sensible.
Posted by: Jmaas | May 6 2025 17:20 utc | 50
”Trumpist morons are so....moronic”
Yep, if they were smart they would have voted for the idiot giggle whore / self-propelled cabbage on crack like you did, right?
Posted by: William Gruff | May 6 2025 17:24 utc | 51
Friedrich Merz an EPP loyalist … the best für Deutschland … die partei will be competing for the AfD electorate … quite similar to 14 years Mark Rutte and Geert Wilders of the PVV.
Never liked the dude … would even have preferred a CSU candidate as chancellor.
Damn … a survivalist ..
https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/the-manfred-who-would-be-merkel/
Von der Leyen a Merz, ’lavoreremo per una Ue più forte'
The Christian Democrats who will likely decide on Europes future are meeting in Berlin …
For the first time in six decades, the CDU is taking over the foreign office, with Johann Wadephul as foreign minister. Since the late 1960s, the ministry was occupied by the smaller of the coalition parties, be it the SPD, the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), or the Greens.
Nevertheless, Germany in crisis mode.
Can you imagine if AFD would propose that Germany should demand a peace treaty with their WWII enemies...most specifically the UK and the U$$A?
Yes, the fact is that ever since 5-9-45, not only have the Western allies nver agreed to signing a peace treaty after a mere 80 years of military occupation...a status demanded by the ruling Talmudists centered in City of London.
Both of those twoWestern allies are themselves under full occupation by their central banks...thus not SOVEREIGN nations. Their governments simply follow orders under threat of blackmail, bankruptcy and even worse.
Have a look at the fiat $1 Fed Note and take close note of the Eye of Horu$ hovering above their dictated economic, political and cultural pyramid arrangement. Rule from the top down over we the scores of millions of serfs.
Now back to my hypothesis of AFD demanding a peace treaty so that German sovereignty would once again become reality. Of course the secret police apparatus, diligently following orders form "Above"...would be immediately ordered to go balls to the walls to destroy the alternative for Deutschland.
After all, each and every Western secret police agencies diligently follow orders. Or as the well-known German phrase goes: "Alles I'm Ordnung Ist". (everthing is in order...respect the "authorities" and always OBEY their orders from "above".
Posted by: aristodemos | May 6 2025 17:56 utc | 53
b, I can't imagine anything worst than a female politician ruling the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) once again.
Everything started going south once Angela Dorothea Kasner (ADK) [born 17 July 1954] came to power in 2005.
I am not suggesting by any means that Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz (JMM) is any better but certainly IMO a better fit even with his dictatorial personality.
Das war's erstmal alles von mir!
Posted by: pepe | May 6 2025 18:14 utc | 54
Starmer begets Farage 2029
Merz begets Weidel 2029
Macron begets Jordan Bardella 2027 (if Le Pen still barred from politics)
Meloni begets more Meloni 2027
Sanchez (Spain-PSOE) begets Feijoo (Spain-People's Party) 2027
Tsipras "the great traitor" (Syriza) already begat Mitsotakis (New Democracy)
Everywhere you look in Europe, we have right-wing parties (including the fake socialists of Labour and PSOE) playing setup for right-wing authoritarian, fascistic ones. Because the "left" utterly failed in carrying out a truly progressive agenda, working people turn to the fake populists of the right. Of course, Trump is just the same with Biden and Obama providing the setup.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 18:16 utc | 55
Germany is the motor of the EU and given it ran out of (cheap Russian) gas, the EU vehicle is grounded on the side of the road.
Mr Blackrock ran on austerity and a rejuvenation of the ailing German economy and then after his election announced his intention of printing 800 billion euros to wage war on the Eastern front. What could could have possibly gone wrong with that? We just witnessed.
Posted by: xor | May 6 2025 18:22 utc | 56
Trump and the Euro lackeys - dynamic impotence writ large.
Posted by: Squeeth | May 6 2025 18:33 utc | 57
@Posted by: pepe | May 6 2025 18:14 utc | 54
Everything started going wrong in Germany when reunification was carried out under Kohl at an exchange rate of 1:1 and the West German oligarchy was allowed to feast on East German assets at knock down prices. The result was an economic depression in East Germany. Then in came Schroder who decided to close the nuclear plants, and implement the neoliberal Agenda 2010 which facilitated the wage suppression on which German industry relied for competitiveness (and the weak Euro relative to where the DM would have been). Germany was already fucked by two men before Merkel got in, and she was the protege of Kohl.
The German government and the EU also allowed a massive level of collusion between the European car manufacturers, that went far beyond any emissions cheating, which greatly reduced the level of competition and technology innovation. With wage suppression in place, and the competition authorities looking the other way to massive collusion, the car manufacturers got good 'ol fat and happy selling the same old technologies. The Mittelstand also did not innovate beyond post-WW2 technologies. This is why German industry is having its ass handed to it by a China that had effective industrial planning and enforces competition to drive innovation. The vast majority of the heads of German industry are men.
So, yeah Merkel has to take some blame, but "women politicians" in general? Be quiet with your fatuous nonsense.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 18:39 utc | 58
@Posted by: xor | May 6 2025 18:22 utc | 56
He got voted in on the second round. Someone just wanted to make sure the he knew who held the reins of power. He is just a tool, not a boss. He does what he is told to do, including lying his face off to get elected.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 18:41 utc | 59
Der Spiegel on the massive collusion between the European car makers. More "Vorsprung Durch Absprache".
Posted by: Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 18:45 utc | 60
It seems, he got elected in the second run with the help of the so called "left". Die Linke. Which is just a woke bunch of power greedy narcissists eager to sell their souls to the capital.
Posted by: umuntu | May 6 2025 18:46 utc | 61
Which means they betrayed their electorate as well. Now, that's gonna be very interesting, how this will work out in the long run.
Posted by: umuntu | May 6 2025 18:50 utc | 62
He got voted in on the second round. Someone just wanted to make sure the he knew who held the reins of power. He is just a tool, not a boss. He does what he is told to do, including lying his face off to get elected.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 18:41 utc | 59
I dont think there was any scheming behind this. Since he declared his election promises void it was obvious that it wouldnt be a smooth way to become chancellor. Lots of members left the party. Among the remaining there would certainly be some who wanted at least to teach him a lesson. He hasn't very much support in the party. It took three runs to elect him for chairman of the party .
Posted by: umuntu | May 6 2025 19:00 utc | 63
@ Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 18:16 utc | 55
@ xor | May 6 2025 18:22 utc | 56
good posts and commentary.. thanks..
the future looks dark..
Posted by: james | May 6 2025 19:14 utc | 64
"A secret voting? If you believe that, then I have a bridge to sell. They know very well how to find out who voted and how. That's why for the 2nd round, the nays were reminded what would happen to their families and loved ones if they vote nay in the 2nd round."
Posted by: 5thcolumn
Nonsense. During Merkel's reign, we mutated to a banana republic, but we're not so rotten as Ukraine or the USA.
Posted by: Apollyon | May 6 2025 19:30 utc | 65
Why is it that many Germans do not support AfD?
Ms Weidel seems an appealing personality.
Posted by: jared | May 6 2025 19:37 utc | 66
Some of the nonsense CBC is writing:
Germany is the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States, and in defence spending, it ranks fourth in the world, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which studies trends in global military expenditures.
"The world is in turmoil. Europe needs a strong Germany," Carsten Linnemann, the secretary general of the Christian Democrats, told reporters after Merz's first-ballot defeat.
Germany has the continent's biggest economy and serves as a diplomatic heavyweight. The new chancellor's portfolio would include the war in Ukraine and the Donald Trump administration's trade policy on top of domestic issues, such as Germany's stagnant economy and the rise of a far-right, anti-immigrant party.
Besides ramping up defence spending, Merz's coalition has pledged to spur economic growth, take a tougher approach to migration and catch up on long-neglected modernization.
Posted by: Chris N | May 6 2025 19:44 utc | 67
Because the "left" utterly failed in carrying out a truly progressive agenda, working people turn to the fake populists of the right. Of course, Trump is just the same with Biden and Obama providing the setup.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 18:16 utc | 55
Agreed, but I don't think they even tried to carry out a "progressive" agenda. The Imperialist "right and left" are just bad cop, good cop for the ruling class. The good cop distinguishes itself by crying about racism, sexism and homophobia while using all three to confuse, anger and divide the wage slaves against themselves. On all issues of real import: living conditions, war and rights, they are identical!
Minimum political consciousness: there is no lesser evil between Imperialist political parties.
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | May 6 2025 19:54 utc | 68
The contrast with Australian politics is worth reflecting on. I reiterate my point made earlier that, like b rightly shows here, one cannot be reductive about the political culture and landscape of any country even if you think that political culture in general is corrupt (which it is). But—and it's quite a substantial 'but'—the election result in Australia suggested a desire for national unity, which, at key moments in Australia's federal history (since 1901) has manifested as handing big mandates to the Australian Labor Party. This was the case during WW2, then in 1972, 1983, 1993 and 2007 (note too that the Green alternative was acknowledged but also suffered in this election). On the other hand, when times are good (e.g. 1955-1970) Australians elect Liberal-Conservative governments. I know a lot of commenters here will be cynical and critical of the ALP, and I didn't vote for them even though I was a dyed-in-the-wool Labor voter when I was young. But the fact remains that about 1 in 3 Aussies are what the ALP call 'true believers', that is, they see the ALP as the only political force for 'a fair go' for the working man. Their close ties to the Union movement maintain this to a degree. Without going into detail, the ALP have strayed from this mission since ~1990 and have become a squarely middle-class party. But, and again the 'but' is crucial in the current context, they also have some of the only truly socially minded politicians in Australian politics. The election on Saturday amounted to a decision by a lot of other Australians to entrust their future once again to this traditional party of social reform (those who look only at first preferences don't understand the intricacies of the electoral system, which, however, many Australians do understand. 1 in 3 has become 3 in 4 via the 2nd preferences handed to the ALP). It remains to be seen if this will amount to an Australian future that looks very different to that of Europe. I think it will if our PM, armed with a left mandate, and who publicly declared yesterday that he is "old Labor" (i.e. markedly distancing himself from UK New Labour), takes a series of courageous steps: closer ties with China, putting the US on notice over AUKUS, asserting ourselves as a powerful non-aligned nation in the region, and condemning Israel's action in Palestine (which he can do because it is ALP policy to support a two-state solution). Australia could pull away from the shit in a way that Europe cannot, if only we abandoned our adolescent insecurity and accepted a regional destiny.
Posted by: Patroklos | May 6 2025 19:56 utc | 69
"Why is it that many Germans do not support AfD?
Ms Weidel seems an appealing personality."
Posted by: jared
She's very arrogant. She's living in Switzerland with her wife. And she is a Neo-Liberal.
Posted by: Apollyon | May 6 2025 20:02 utc | 70
what's the chance the German people can force a nation wide self determination vote..?
the entire world needs a self determination vote.. ?
How can the people in the world force a self determination vote?
Some how the object of global humanity ought to be to allow only governments established by self determination processes to rule.
The need to erase puppet politicians from positions of power is universal. The political systems in governments do not allow the people governed by those governments to appoint their own candidates or to elect candidates that are not approved by the deep state. We all are prisoners to the will of a very few.. How stupid are we?
Posted by: snake | May 6 2025 20:05 utc | 71
Yep, if they were smart they would have voted for the idiot giggle whore / self-propelled cabbage on crack like you did, right?
Posted by: William Gruff | May 6 2025 17:24 utc | 51
Was Stein ever an option? or are there no options and George Carlin had it right?
Posted by: Original Newbie | May 6 2025 20:06 utc | 72
Posted by: Newbie | May 6 2025 15:42 utc | 38
> Im Westen nichts Neues
I will read that book eventually
Posted by: hopehely | May 6 2025 20:16 utc | 73
@ jared | May 6 2025 19:37 utc | 66
read roger boyds substack article here -
Alice">https://substack.com/@rogerboyd/p-154620635/">Alice Weidel: Oligarch Tool
Roger Boyd
Feb 10, 2025
Posted by: james | May 6 2025 20:33 utc | 74
screwed the link - here is the full url straight..
https://substack.com/@rogerboyd/p-154620635
Posted by: james | May 6 2025 20:34 utc | 75
Original Newbie @72: ”Was Stein ever an option? or are there no options and George Carlin had it right?”
Sure. I voted for De la Cruz, for instance. But it wasn’t just people who voted for Trump who denied her the win, it was also people who voted for that ignorant prostitute also. When someone only vents their spleen at voters who chose Trump, then it is obvious they are a dembot Team Blue tribalist who did not vote for a third party candidate.
You can take it to the bank: all the TDS victims here frothing at the mouth about Trump voters voted for Harris.
Guaranteed.
If they deny it, they are lying, and not at all convincingly. After all, why just piss and moan about only Trump voters otherwise?
Posted by: William Gruff | May 6 2025 20:39 utc | 76
"Was Stein ever an option? - Newbie 72
Trump 49.80%
Harris 48.32%
Stein 0.56%
Kennedy 0.49% withdrew months earlier but, DNCers wanted him on the ballot
Other 0.41%
================
The US Presidency is the only National election, the founders wanted a clear winner, not some eff'd-up European kluge-job. If there is to be a 3rd party it has to be built up over many, many decades...so far, nobody has even made a start of it.
The DNC, used lawfare to purge all FDRists from their ranks in the 1980/90's, it's now a party dominated by elitist interests with a loyalist core of pedophiles that has many similarities to the depravity demonstrated the Brown-Shirts before the night of the long knives. For now at least, the DNC appears immutable.
I know all the "serious-people" on this and other boards must post endless screeds against Trump...so be it. That said, Trump's willingness to challenge the Cheney/Romney faction of the RNC using late 19th century populism as a base has drastically changed the face of the party. Now, to TDS-sufferers that's a bad thing, Cheney is a hero for backing Hillary/Obama/Biden/Harris...which makes my point in the above paragraph and my points in this paragraph.
So, Newbie 72, change is possible but...it's clear, it takes a very strong personality and all the "serious people" here don't like Trump's strong personality. Which implies, there is no option for today's "left", today's "liberal" but to always vote Blue..no matter who.
Posted by: S Brennan | May 6 2025 20:42 utc | 77
So Fotzen-Fritz (as he's affectionately known where I live, in the East) was finally able to get his Kanzlerschaft. Even so, in the second round, he only got 325 votes out of the 328 representatives his coalition commands. This is going to be fun.
In other news, the chief of the secret political police ("Verfassungsschutz") of the state of Brandenburg got the boot today by the minister of the interior. Rumor has it he was fired because he wanted to adopt too hard a line against the AfD, which his boss, an SPD minister, thought unsuitable.
Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | May 6 2025 20:51 utc | 78
@71 snake
"How can the people in the world force a self determination vote?"
Most don't want the responsibility, would rather have everything managed for them. They are taught that their countries or societies are outdated. They are offered the wealth available elsewhere, from others. They sell their countries and cannot buy them back.
Self determination at political level starts with national currency, because without that no autoctonous political management is possible.
A national currency registers all of the intent and ideological directions of those in charge.
By national currency, I mean accounting, I mean where accounting is not carried out and owned by non-nationals.
Some in Germany put up a long fight over the euro, but the highest courts were also corrupt.
It is unusual that Axel Webber now heads the Trilateral Commission in europe, after spending time in US and then USB (if I remember). Germany was understood as sound money based, and no deficit. Some in the hard money schools (to criticism) even thought it would be towards a form of hard/gold standard. The opposite has occurred, obviously.
Axel Webber was head of Bundesbank during gfc, he famously suggested at a reunion by heads of national central banks "then we must monetise national debt" . The rest is history, and it ended any notion of euro being accountable at national level. The start of centralised issuance, ECB holding target2 account, and throwing fiscal stability to the bin, along with implementing ECB corporate finance, were only some of the negative results.
Now we have centralised finance combined with national travesty of own criteria to fund arms and a european military.
Its all FUBAR.
And the people ? At best they are cluelessly chasing pseudo parties that will never do more than act as margins to keep the wider direction on track.
And they don't mind, because they think they have made the best choice possible, and no longer can they even imagine what an own nation is, so long since they had one that many have never even known one.
They think that cheering for sides and voting is what makes a nation their own. They basically have no idea, and do not care that they don't...
...and because there is always something newer and more important to give their attention to.
Posted by: Ornot | May 6 2025 21:00 utc | 79
Thanks b, I agree this is merely a speed bump, but as the recent Romanian elections shows, the populace is not playing along.
Posted by: Suresh | May 6 2025 21:19 utc | 80
Posted by: Apollyon | May 6 2025 20:02 utc | 70
> She's very arrogant. She's living in Switzerland with her wife. And she is a Neo-Liberal.
I don't see what is the problem, she is living wherever she wants and whoever or whatever with.
It is nobody's business if she lives with her boyfriend, her wife or with her pet hamster.
And about her being Neo-Liberal. Is the problem with the Neo part, the Liberal part or the sacred combo of these two concepts?
What is the problem in being liberal, she values her freedom and we should, as liberals, respect that.
I would not like to have a church dictating how to live my life. And I bet you would not like it neither.
Um, wait a minute. Do you pay church taxes?
Posted by: hopehely | May 6 2025 21:21 utc | 81
@Posted by: Apollyon | May 6 2025 20:02 utc | 70
Her immigrant wife, also a raving hypocrite and funded by a Swiss-German billionaire.
Posted by: Roger Boyd | May 6 2025 21:23 utc | 82
Posted by: S Brennan | May 6 2025 20:42 utc | 77 When the Framers wrote the Constitution, there were no European elections for president, a non-existent office. The Electoral College was an original American mess, so much an afterthought/unthought gimcrack gimmick it led to a constitutional crisis in 1800. The first paragraph is so irrelevant, as the joke has it, it isn't even wrong.
The second paragraph absurdly ignores that McGovern's defeat in 1972, and Reagan's election/re-election, along with the infamous stagflation of the Seventies and the decline of the unions, had much more to do with the rightward shift of the Democratic Party. The lawfare is either imaginary or misuses the notion of lawfare. The presumption that the DNC operates like the leadership of a European style party is wrong (any implication it acts like a Leninist central committee would be nuts.) It's more like a corporate board where management picks who gets the seats. So-called FDRists were purged with Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey long before, 1968, making the whole thing even dumber. Again, not even wrong. The rest is demented.
The third paragraph is mostly some sort of self-pity about the admiration for Cheney, which might be comprehensible if Cheney was actually admired by anyone accused of TDS at MoA commentariat. An imaginary fact that supposedly makes the points advanced, shows the point is equally imaginary! The idiot mythology is supplied by nonsense about Trump using late 19th century populism as a base...except Trump's hero McKinley was the anti-populist candidate. So is Trump, despite the Trumpers' creative use of the term populism.
Given all the ignorant twaddle, the only possible way to make sense of the conclusions is, to read it as saying Trump is trying to be dictator, that's what Trumpers want, and those who don't want Trump the dictator have no choice but to vote against the would-be dictator's party. But that is probably too honest for this commenter. A loud mouth and a shameless distaste for truth is not strength. Trump is weak, mentally, morally, politically, diplomatically, administratively. The only thing propping him up is the active support or supine indifference of the true elites, the ruling class.
The third paragraph
Posted by: steven t johnson | May 6 2025 21:23 utc | 83
Acknowledging that our host is German and that there are many posters from Germany here, as a British person I am wondering what has happened to the Germany I saw as I grew up?
It always used to seem to me to be such a self-confident nation, that was largely forward-looking and not in the mood to revisit past darkness, seeking a peaceful and co-operative place in a bright future for Europe and the world.
What went wrong? From this outsiders perspective there seems to be a lot of fractures appearing (not that my own country is any better, mind you, I’m not trying to gloat here, just seeking a deeper understanding of the different mindsets among German people.).
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 6 2025 21:29 utc | 84
@hopehely
Jared asked "Why is it that many Germans do not support AfD?" and I - being from Germany - answered that question.
And no, I'm not a member of any church.
Posted by: Apollyon | May 6 2025 21:46 utc | 85
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | May 6 2025 19:54 utc | 68 The charitable reading is, this is confused. Racism, sexism and homophobia divides the working class.* The good cop who pretends to be anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-homophobic while pursuing the same anti-working class economic agenda of wage suppression and imperialism, in the hopes of dividing workers who are not white, male and straight from other working people, turning them into electoral fodder aren't playing the bad cop (unless you actually are racist, sexist and homophobic.) The bad cops are the ones who are telling workers that it's anti-racism, anti-sexism and anti-homophobia that is the problem, want workers to join with their favorite billionaire to fight against even pretenses at anti-racism, anti-sexism and anti-homophobia...as if those shams really were the problem, instead of the ruling class war against workers and for empire. Now that's playing the bad cop. If you really thought the lesson was, good cop/bad cop is a trick, they're both cops, you do not claim the good cop is really the one who's the bad cop! Class solidarity first, because real change means changing property relations. That means solidarity politics, with non-white workers, women workers and gay workers, even if a white male straight billionaire is more your personal taste.
And the lesson for minimum political consciousness is, the duopoly is bourgeois democracy, which is the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie where elections and Congress and parties don't challenge the class rule is not enough and must be replaced. [Move fast, break it, then sort it out is accelerationism...but accelerationism is wrong, tactically and strategically.]
*Actually my guess is racism, sexism and homophobia also can work to divide the ruling class. But they tend to be more class conscious, so they can put up with a Clarence Thomas or a Marjorie Taylor Greene or a Scott Bessent, on sensible grounds: Class first. In their personal lives they can marry a woman of Indian descent or pay their wives enough to put up with them or marry the man of their choice. (Yes, I'm thinking J.D. Vance, Trump and Scott Bessent, sue me.)
Posted by: steven t johnson | May 6 2025 21:57 utc | 86
What about the taurus?
Will he be stupid enough to deliver them to the ukronazis?
Posted by: Naive | May 6 2025 21:58 utc | 87
This doesn't surprise me at all. Persecuting your political opposition while presenting no reasonable alternative to the challenges your country and countrymen has consequences.
Posted by: Monos | May 6 2025 22:02 utc | 89
What about the taurus?
Will he be stupid enough to deliver them to the ukronazis?
Posted by: Naive
This is not about Merz being stupid. Is about Merz being a man from Blackrock.
Posted by: António Lico | May 6 2025 22:02 utc | 90
OT
War breaking out India/Pakistan
https://t-me.translate.goog/s/SEPAHCYBERY?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en
Posted by: Ornot | May 6 2025 22:05 utc | 91
@ steven t johnson | May 6 2025 21:57 utc | 86
I am reminded of that loathsome book “Virtually Normal” by that loathsome faggot Andrew Sullivan, who argued that there should be no legally enshrined gay rights — that would upset the bigots — with one exception: the right to marry. In other words the one right he couldn’t buy his way into or out of. But hey, once you’re part of the elite, you can pick up as many bareback contacts as you like as long as you rant against gay promiscuity — that was Sullivan’s shtik — or order abortions for your girlfriends, or whatever — and it’s all okay.
That much said, I’ve found American Marxists to be at least as shriekingly homophobic as Focus on the Family types. At very least they have to Bayard Rustin themselves to become part of The Cause. And the kiddies are just stupid; they think that Killary fan Angela Davis is a communist.
So I’ll just sit on the sidelines and do my Mercutio shtik. It’s not as if anything I’d say or do would change anything anyway.
Posted by: malenkov | May 6 2025 22:34 utc | 92
“At very least they have to Bayard Rustin themselves to become part of The Cause.”
— “they” refers to the insufficiently heterosexual, of course.
Posted by: malenkov | May 6 2025 22:42 utc | 93
all the TDS victims here frothing at the mouth about Trump voters voted for Harris...Guaranteed...If they deny it, they are lying... - William Gruff 76
But...but what about those "frothing at the mouth" foreign commenters, those who only wish that they could've voted for Harris in order to continue the Hillary/Cheney/Obama/Biden legacy?
Yes..yes the next Hitler blah..blah..blah. Normally I'm not one to bomb civilian targets but, wherever that factory with the assembly line of Hitlers that Hillary vigilantly keeps warning us about ought to make somebody's target list...
Posted by: S Brennan | May 6 2025 23:00 utc | 94
Original Newbie @72: "Was Stein ever an option?"
That depends on your goal. While Stein was never in a position to win, she was a great vehicle for expressing dissent and disgust with the two evils (Biden and Trump.) Imagine if she had won 20% of the vote! That would have sent heads spinning.
The best part is that if voters in the non-battleground states (most of the states) finally realize that their votes don't count, because the outcome in their state was already determined, they could have abandoned the two evils with a clear conscience and no regrets. No one could legitimately accuse them of tipping the election, because the outcome in their state was already pre-determined.
Now, 20% of the electorate may not seem like much. But Britain's Reform party got only 14% last year. It is up to 25% now and is beginning to be regarded as a serious threat.
The key here is to convince people that voting third party conveys dissent while not voting conveys lack of interest.
Posted by: JohnH | May 6 2025 23:14 utc | 95
Kaiser Fotzen Fritz ist nackt.
Knochig nackt.
It is so bitter! Of all people!
Fotzen Fritz the german Keir Stamer.
Leichenfledderer und Totengräber…
I need drink
Posted by: El.Lissitzky | May 6 2025 23:52 utc | 96
according to social media
452,000 signatures petition EU to lift Ec sanctions v. Russia..
Trump is supposed to have announced the Houthi have given in no more attack ships in the red sea for no more bombing..
one thus far has said Israel has completely destroyed the Houthi airport..?
can anyone confirm any of these social media bits and pieces floating around?
Posted by: snake | May 7 2025 0:15 utc | 97
Responding to Jeremy Rhymings-Lang ( May 6 2025 21:29 utc | 84 ):
"What went wrong?"In my opinion the answer is big (too big?).
What happened happened everywhere and a long time ago, easily before history. Maybe it is easier to hide at smaller scales, at least in some ways, but I'm not entirely sure.
What happened is that the world is drowning in all kinds of lies and many layers of lies about the lies; lies both in favor of the lies and against the lies, about what the problems are and about what the solutions are and anything anyone can think of.
Many lie without ever considering they might be lying, many lie without ever having the possibility of knowing if they lie or not. I can not guarantee that I do not inadvertently lie myself, I certainly have lied to myself before (at least I know that) and I never intended to.
This is, in my opinion, the main reason why the world has ended up as it is and now the lies are so massive things are breaking down by themselves (truth or no truth).
Posted by: Sunny Runny Burger | May 7 2025 0:22 utc | 98
1. there’s no reason for anyone to stray from party lines,
2. ... votes in the secret ballot [emphasis added]
No reason for anyone not to stray, either.
Posted by: Call it what u will | May 7 2025 0:30 utc | 99
Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | May 6 2025 21:29 utc | 84
No snark intended here. But WTAF happened to any of our countries?
For UK, I’d suggest Thatcher.
Oz, Howard.
Just watched the new Canadian PM sitting in the WH being lectured by the Orange Retard. Excruciating. As if he’s sitting in the principal’s office. Cringe.
I just hope our own just re-elected Liteweight doesn’t make the pilgrimage too soon.
No one in Oz wants to be told we’re not paying enough for our own defence or ripping the U$ off by selling beef and wine to China, or whatever transgressions we’ll be accused.
—
What happened to Germany? The slow creep of power to the unelected EU.
Once countries lose the veneer of sovereignty, the Grey Forces of control by the Bureaucracy-Media conglomerate weight the steering of the ship of state. Someone mused in a previous blog about when Australia lost its sovereignty. Never. You can’t lose what you never had. Although the Whitlam years (70s) and the Hawke-Keating era was an attempt at putting Australian national interests to the fore.
Germany? Sovereignty? Probably under the Kaiser? We know the Austrian Artist was funded by “International Finance”. Then the country was divided… reunited and …. was *is* occupied by U$. Neutered by EU. That’s what an outsider observer sees….
~~~
Just adding. None of the Commonwealth dominions are sovereign. I laffed when I saw King Chuck the Cuck is going to open the Canadian Parliament in person. First time in a long long time that the British Monarchy has bothered to piss on that post.
If OrangeRetard makes any suggestion that Australia should be the 53rd state or in some way submit further to U$ Authority…. Maybe they’ll send William down here to be the Governor General. Revive quaint old customs, and remind everyone who owns what.
Posted by: Melaleuca | May 7 2025 0:49 utc | 100
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Schadenfreude, best drink of the day. ;O)
Posted by: Squeeth | May 6 2025 12:19 utc | 1