German Free Democratic Party (FDP) campaigns to be back in government

The Social Democrats (SPD) are basically trying to keep their party together, after internal conflicts about some government reform initiatives have thrown the party into disarray. Externally, the party campaigns for votes for the charismatic Chancellor Schroeder, irrespective of the fact that he cannot be the head of the next German government. Polls show the SPD at about 30 percent and their current coalition partner, the Green Party, will probably only add another 8 percent to the score. This party that once stood for political alternatives has, once in government, just plaid along the rules of realpolitik and disappointed many of their supporters.

Losses of the two ruling parties will most probably swing to the newly created alliance of die-hard socialists from the German East and leftist ex-members of the Social Democrats in the West. They blatantly oppose reforms by seeking to maintain current welfare subsidies and labour market regulations at any costs. Considering that Germany’s budget deficit has been sky-rocketing for the last couple of years and that labour market regulations have driven millions out of employment, this is clearly an illusion and an irresponsible campaign. Yet, according to the latest opinion polls, the alliance may score as much as 9 percent of the votes.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) gained in public opinion by just offering to be the alternative to a quarrelling and ineffective Social Democratic government. The CDU successfully abstained from coming up with detailed policy suggestions and focused more on personalities and their respective expertise. These people, however, possess a broad spectrum of conservative, progressive and even left-leaning opinions, which make the party president appear more like an internal mediator, rather than a leader. The CDU is expected to score about 40 percent of the votes.

In contrast, the FDP has come up with a more detailed outline of policy suggestions for when they join the cabinet of a CDU government. The party suggests a public welfare system which covers only emergencies and which has to be supplemented by individual private insurance policies. The party programme also calls for systematic reforms in the labour market, where tight corporate regulations, workers’ councils, and trade unions effectively prevent new employment. The party also calls for reforms of the education system, the enhanced protection of civil liberties etc. The polls show the FDP at about 7 percent of the votes. A summary of this party’s platform for the upcoming elections can be downloaded here.