FACTOID # 52: In Botswana, more than one in three adults aged 15-49 are infected with HIV/AIDS.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

FACTS & STATISTICS    Simple view

  1. Select countries to view: (hold down Control key and click to select several)

     

     

    Compare:

     

     

  1. Select fact or statistic: (* = graphable)

     

     

     

  2. (OPTIONAL) Compare to statistic: (both need to be graphable)

     

     

     

  3. View result as:

     

       
(OR) SEARCH ALL encyclopedia, stats & forums:   

Encyclopedia > German federal election, 2005
Germany

This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Germany
Image File history File links Coat_of_Arms_of_Germany. ... Politics of Germany takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Federal Chancellor is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ...



Other countries • Politics Portal
view  talk  edit

German federal elections took place on September 18, 2005 to elect the members of the 16th German Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany. They became necessary after a motion of confidence in Chancellor Gerhard Schröder failed on July 1. Following the defeat of Schröder's Social Democratic Party (SPD) in a state election, Schröder asked his supporters to abstain in the Bundestag motion in order that it fail and thus trigger an early federal election. The Bundesrat (federal council) is the representation of the 16 Federal States (Länder) of Germany at the federal level. ... The Bundestag (Federal Diet) is the parliament of Germany. ... The Federal Convention (Bundesversammlung) is a special body in the institutional system of Germany, convoked only for the purpose of selecting the Bundespräsident every five years. ... The Bundesverfassungsgericht The Federal Constitutional Court (in German: Bundesverfassungsgericht, BVerfG) is a special court established by the German constitutional document, the Grundgesetz (Basic Law). ... The Bundesgerichtshof or BGH (German for federal court) is the highest Germany for civil and criminal lawsuits. ... The President of Germany (German: Bundespräsident) is Germanys head of state. ... Horst Köhler ( â–¶(?), born 22 February 1943) is the current President of Germany. ... The head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (German: Kanzler or Bundeskanzler meaning federal chancellor). ...   (IPA //) (born in Hamburg, Germany on July 17, 1954) is the current Chancellor of Germany. ... The Cabinet of Germany (German: Bundeskabinett, Bundesregierung) is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... Germany is a Federal Republic made up of 16 States, known in German as Länder (singular Land). ... There are 439 German districts (Kreise), administrative units in Germany. ... Elections in Germany gives information on election and election results in Germany, including elections to the Federal Diet (the lower house of the federal parliament), the Landtage of the various states, and local elections. ... This is a list of political parties in Germany. ... Germany is seen to be one of the democratic nations in Europe. ... The Federal Republic of Germany is a Central European country and member of the European Union, Group of 8 and NATO (among others). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Bundestag (Federal Diet) is the parliament of Germany. ... A Motion of Confidence is a motion of support proposed by a government in a parliament or other assembly of elected representatives to give members of parliament (or other such assembly) a chance to register their confidence in a government. ... The head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (German: Kanzler or Bundeskanzler meaning federal chancellor). ...   [] (born April 7, 1944), German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... SPD redirects here. ...


The opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party in Bavaria, the Christian Social Union (CSU), started the federal election campaign with a 21% lead over the SPD in opinion polls. Many commentators expected the Christian Democrats to win a clear electoral victory and that CDU leader Angela Merkel would become Chancellor, forming a government with the Free Democratic Party (FDP) and displacing the governing SPD-Green coalition. However, the CDU/CSU significantly lost momentum during the campaign and ultimately won only 1% more votes and four more seats than the SPD. The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU - Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest conservative political party in Germany. ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... The Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU – ) is a conservative political party in Germany. ...   (IPA //) (born in Hamburg, Germany on July 17, 1954) is the current Chancellor of Germany. ... The Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei - FDP) is a liberal political party in Germany. ... Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (literally: Alliance 90/The Greens), the German Green Party, is a political party in Germany whose regional predecessors were founded in the late 1970s as part of the new social movements. ...


Exit polls showed clearly that neither coalition group had won a majority of seats in the Bundestag. Both parties lost seats compared to 2002, as did the Greens, whilst only the Left Party (a partial successor of the Party of Democratic Socialism led by Gregor Gysi and former SPD chairman Oskar Lafontaine) made significant gains. Both Schröder and Merkel claimed victory, but the formation of a new government required careful negotiations. On October 10, 2005, officials from the SPD and the CDU/CSU indicated that negotiations between the two had concluded successfully and that the participating parties would form a Grand Coalition with Angela Merkel as Chancellor. 397 CDU/CSU and SPD Bundestag members duly voted for Merkel when the Bundestag met on November 22. For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Left Party (In German: , officially with a period at the end), formerly Party of Democratic Socialism (Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, PDS) is a left-wing socialist political party in Germany. ... Party of Democratic Socialism is a political party in India; see Party of Democratic Socialism (India) the former name of a German political party; see Left Party (Germany). ... Gregor Gysi Gregor Gysi (born January 16, 1948) is a German politician of the Left Party. ... Oskar Lafontaine Oskar Lafontaine (born September 16, 1943 in Saarlouis-Roden) is a left-wing German politician and a leading member of the Left Party. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A grand coalition is a coalition government in a parliamentary system where political parties representing a vast majority of the parliament unite in a coalition. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contents

Background

Chancellor Schröder orchestrated the loss of the Bundestag motion of confidence with the aim of triggering an early federal election following the defeat of his SPD in Germany's most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia on May 22, 2005. The victory of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia gave that party, together with the FDP, a working majority in the Bundesrat, the federal legislature's upper house. The North Rhine-Westphalia state election, 2005, was conducted on May 22, 2005, to elect members to the Landtag (state legislature) of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. ... SPD redirects here. ... Germany is a Federal Republic made up of 16 States, known in German as Länder (singular Land). ... North Rhine-Westphalia (German: Nordrhein-Westfalen, usually shortened to: NRW) is - in terms of population and economic output - the largest Federal State of Germany. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Christian Democracy is a political ideology, born at the end of the 19th century, largely as a result of the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, in which the Vatican recognizes workers misery and agrees that something should be done about it, in reaction to the rise of... The Bundesrat (federal council) is the representation of the 16 Federal States (Länder) of Germany at the federal level. ...


Early federal elections in Germany can only take place after the dissolution of the Bundestag by the President of Germany, since the constitution forbids the Bundestag dissolving itself. The President can dissolve it only after the Chancellor loses a vote on a motion of confidence. The Federal Constitutional Court ruled in a similar situation in 1983 that Chancellors may not ask the President for the Bundestag's dissolution merely for the sake of their desire for an early election; they have to have a real problem getting a majority for his legislation. Many observers agree that Schröder met this requirement, since a number of left-wing SPD delegates had expressed great reservations about Chancellor Schröder's labour reform and welfare reform programme. However, only days before the vote, the coalition had passed a number of bills with no dissenters, indicating strong support for the Chancellor within the coalition. After urging members to abstain on the vote, Chancellor Schröder purposely lost a vote of confidence in the Bundestag on July 1 by 296 to 151. On July 21 President Horst Köhler dissolved the Bundestag and paved the way for the early election on September 18. The President of Germany (German: Bundespräsident) is Germanys head of state. ... A Motion of Confidence is a motion of support proposed by a government in a parliament or other assembly of elected representatives to give members of parliament (or other such assembly) a chance to register their confidence in a government. ... The Bundesverfassungsgericht The Federal Constitutional Court (in German: Bundesverfassungsgericht, BVerfG) is a special court established by the German constitutional document, the Grundgesetz (Basic Law). ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Bundestag (Federal Diet) is the parliament of Germany. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... Horst Köhler ( â–¶(?), born 22 February 1943) is the current President of Germany. ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ...


The Green member of parliament Werner Schulz - who, in a much-cited speech on the day of the motion of confidence, had criticised the deliberate loss of the motion as "farcical" and likened the Bundestag's obedience to Schröder to behaviour typical of the GDR Volkskammer - and the SPD member of parliament Jelena Hoffmann jointly filed a constitutional complaint in the Federal Constitutional Court. The Court rejected the complaint on August 25, ruling as valid the President's decision to dissolve the Bundestag, thereby giving the green light for the early elections on September 18 and ending speculation that Schröder would have to step down or lead a "lame duck" government. Disambiguation Page Global Depositary Receipt East Germany ... The Volkskammer (Peoples Chamber) was the de jure Legislature of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... A lame duck is a bird which has trouble walking, usually due to astraxaphysis, a crippling leg condition affecting waterfowl. ...


A small number of members of minor political parties filed similar complaints: the Court similarly rejected them during the week before the election.


Lead campaigners

Results

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 18 September 2005 German Federal Diet (Bundestag) election results
Parties Constituency Party list Total seats
Votes % +/− Seats +/− Votes % +/− Seats +/− Total +/− %
Christian Democratic Union *) (Christlich-Demokratische Union) 15,390,950 32.6 +0.6 106 +24 13,136,740 27.8 -1.7 74 -34 180 -10 29.3
Christian Social Union of Bavaria *) (Christlich Soziale Union in Bayern) 3,889,990 8.2 -0.8 44 +1 3,494,309 7.4 -1.6 2 -13 46 -12 7.5
CDU/CSU 19,280,940 40.8 -0.2 150 +25 16,631,049 35.2 -3.3 76 -47 226 -22 36.8
Social Democratic Party of Germany (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands) 18,129,100 38.4 -3.5 145 -26 16,194,665 34.2 -4.3 77 -3 222 -29 36.2
Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei) 2,208,531 4.7 +1.1 0 0 4,648,144 9.8 +2.5 61 +14 61 +14 9.9
The Left Party (Die Linkspartei) 3,764,168 8.0 +3.6 3 +1 4,118,194 8.7 +4.7 51 +51 54 +52 8.8
Alliance '90/The Greens (Bündnis '90/Die Grünen) 2,538,913 5.4 -0.2 1 0 3,838,326 8.1 -0.5 50 -4 51 -4 8.3
Other 1,272,410 2.7 0 0 1,857,610 4.0 0 0 0 0
Totals 47,194,062 100 299 47,287,988 100 315 +11 614 +11 100

Notes: The Bundestag (Federal Diet) is the parliament of Germany. ... The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU - Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest conservative political party in Germany. ... The Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU – ) is a conservative political party in Germany. ... SPD redirects here. ... The Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei - FDP) is a liberal political party in Germany. ... The Left Party (In German: , officially with a period at the end), formerly Party of Democratic Socialism (Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, PDS) is a left-wing socialist political party in Germany. ... Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (literally: Alliance 90/The Greens), the German Green Party, is a political party in Germany whose regional predecessors were founded in the late 1970s as part of the new social movements. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU – ) is a conservative political party in Germany. ...

  • These figures constitute the final results published by the Bundeswahlleiter (Federal election officer).
  • 77.7% of voters cast ballots, down 1.4% from 2002. This included a number of invalid votes as follows: 850,072 (1.8%) in the constituency section, 756,146 (1.6%) in the list section.
  • The CDU and the CSU sit together as one caucus in the Bundestag and do not compete against each other. The CSU runs only in the state of Bavaria while the CDU competes in all other states.
  • These results include nine "overhang mandates" for the SPD and seven for the CDU.
  • These results compare the results for the Left. party with those of the PDS in 2002.
  • These results include the delayed result from the Dresden-I seat (see below).

For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. ... The Bundestag (Federal Diet) is the parliament of Germany. ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Overhang seats can arise in elections under mixed member proportional (MMP), when a party is entitled to fewer seats as a result of party votes than it has won constituencies. ...

Campaign

Election placard of the Christian Democratic Union
Election placard of the Christian Democratic Union

The CDU/CSU nominated Angela Merkel for Chancellor - the first time in German history that one of the two larger parties has nominated a woman for this position. The CDU presented a platform involving increasing the pace and scope of economic deregulation in Germany and pursuing cuts in income tax and public spending (many commentators have compared Merkel with Margaret Thatcher). The CDU began the campaign with a 21% lead over the SPD and confidence in Merkel's victory led the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, to meet with her ahead of Chancellor Schröder during a visit to Berlin in June. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1760x1168, 494 KB) Election placard in Berlin of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany for the German federal election, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1760x1168, 494 KB) Election placard in Berlin of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany for the German federal election, 2005. ... The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU - Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest conservative political party in Germany. ... The Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU – ) is a conservative political party in Germany. ...   (IPA //) (born in Hamburg, Germany on July 17, 1954) is the current Chancellor of Germany. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990. ... The Prime Minister is in practice the most important political office in the United Kingdom. ... Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the UK Labour Party, and Member of the UK Parliament for the constituency of Sedgefield in North East England. ... Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. ...


The SPD had the goal of maintaining the current deregulation agenda. They added to their election program some minor corrections such as broadening the financing base of the healthcare system and the proposal of a 3% additional tax for people with annual incomes above 250,000 euro (after the governing coalition earlier in 2005 cut the highest income tax rate from 48.5% to 42%). SPD redirects here. ... Health care or healthcare is one of the worlds largest and fastest growing professions. ...

Election placard of the Social Democratic Party
Election placard of the Social Democratic Party

The Greens decided on their program in July 2005. Compared to their previous federal election program, they increased the emphasis on economics and labour-market politics. For the first time this topic came before the classical green topic of environmental politics in the program. In general, the program moved slightly to the left; including stating the necessity for changes to some existing red-green governmental policies. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1168x1760, 590 KB) Election placard in Berlin of the Social Democratic Party of Germany for the German federal election, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1168x1760, 590 KB) Election placard in Berlin of the Social Democratic Party of Germany for the German federal election, 2005. ... Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (literally: Alliance 90/The Greens), the German Green Party, is a political party in Germany whose regional predecessors were founded in the late 1970s as part of the new social movements. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Left-Right politics. ...


The FDP announced its election program before any other party, publishing it on July 24. [1]. It called for strong saving measures in public spending and more room for local negotiation between employees and employers, as opposed to central control by trade-union officials. Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | German political parties | Liberal parties ... July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 160 days remaining. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...


The leaders of the far left Party of Democratic Socialism (the "PDS") agreed to let candidates of the centre left Labour and Social Justice Party (the "WASG") run on their party list, leaving open the possible future option of a merger between the two parties. In agreeing to this the WASG stipulated that the PDS rename itself as the Left Party. The WASG, with its front-runner Oskar Lafontaine (a former SPD leader), formed from breakaway elements within the SPD, angered at that party taking a "neoliberal" direction in economic reforms. The general membership has already approved this measure and awaits to hear from the PDS party convention to agree as well. If successful this could lead to a further erosion of the SPD's strength, as the PDS has never made inroads in the former West Germany (it lineally succeeded the former governing communist party (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) of the former German Democratic Republic), while the WASG has its base in western Germany and could garner substantial votes there. The term far left refers to the relative position a person or group occupies within the political spectrum. ... The Left Party (In German: , officially with a period at the end), formerly Party of Democratic Socialism (Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, PDS) is a left-wing socialist political party in Germany. ... The term centre-left has two distinct meanings in politics: Centre-left can be used to describe and denote political parties or organisations that stretch from the centre to the left or are moderately left-wing, as opposed to extreme left wing beliefs such as communism. ... Labour and Social Justice - The Electoral Alternative (German: Arbeit und soziale Gerechtigkeit – Die Wahlalternative or WASG) is a German political party founded in 2005 by activists disenchanted with the Social Democratic-Green government. ... The Left Party (In German: , officially with a period at the end), formerly Party of Democratic Socialism (Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, PDS) is a left-wing socialist political party in Germany. ... Oskar Lafontaine Oskar Lafontaine (born September 16, 1943 in Saarlouis-Roden) is a left-wing German politician and a leading member of the Left Party. ... The logo of the SED The Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) (German: Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands) was the governing party of East Germany from its formation in 1949 until the elections of 1990. ... Anthem: Auferstanden aus Ruinen Capital East Berlin, in spite of status as part of an occupied city Language(s) German Government Socialist state Head of State  - 1990 Sabine Bergmann-Pohl Head of Government  - 1990 Lothar de Maizière Historical era Cold War  - Established October 7 1949  - Final Settlement September 25...

A bicycle-taxi (velotaxi) in front of the German Reichstag building in Berlin with the Greens livery
A bicycle-taxi (velotaxi) in front of the German Reichstag building in Berlin with the Greens livery

Two of Germany's small far-right parties, the National Democratic Party (NPD) and the German People's Union (DVU), announced that they would run on a common platform in this election, raising fears in the mainstream German political establishment that together they might succeed in gaining more than 5% of the national vote and thus in entering the Bundestag. Since German electoral law does not permit common lists of two or more parties, in practice the DVU did not enter the election, and members of that party appeared on the NPD list. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1760x1168, 607 KB) A bicycle-taxi (velotaxi) in front of the German Bundestag in Berlin with the Alliance 90/The Greens livery for the German federal election, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1760x1168, 607 KB) A bicycle-taxi (velotaxi) in front of the German Bundestag in Berlin with the Alliance 90/The Greens livery for the German federal election, 2005. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into far right. ... For the East German block party, see National Democratic Party of Germany (East Germany) Logo of the NPD The National Democratic Party of Germany (German: Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands, NPD) is a political party in Germany. ... The German Peoples Union (German: Deutsche Volksunion, DVU) is a far-right political party in Germany. ...


Early election polls during summer 2005 from 6 organizations showed a solid lead for the CDU/CSU with a share of the vote ranging between 41% and 43%, and the SPD trailing at between 32% and 34%. The polls further showed the FDP, a possible coalition partner for the conservatives, at between 6.5% and 8%, and the Greens, the current coalition partner for the SPD, between 6% and 8%. Most polls indicated a likely majority for a CDU/CSU-FDP coalition. As for other parties, those polls which explicitly included the PDS-WASG electoral alliance showed it above the 5% hurdle at between 7% and 8.5%. No poll showed any other parties, including far-right parties, near 5%, although far-right parties have in the past sometimes polled below their actual support due to unwillingness by voters to admit their support. Opinion polls are surveys of opinion using sampling. ... The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU - Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest conservative political party in Germany. ... The Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU – ) is a conservative political party in Germany. ... SPD redirects here. ... Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | German political parties | Liberal parties ... Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (literally: Alliance 90/The Greens), the German Green Party, is a political party in Germany whose regional predecessors were founded in the late 1970s as part of the new social movements. ...

Election placard of the Free Democratic Party
Election placard of the Free Democratic Party

In early August support for Angela Merkel declined considerably. Reasons for this included conflicts about the election program in and between the conservative parties (the CDU and the CSU), and arguments with their preferred coalition partner, the FDP, as well as embarrassing gaffes. At one point the media criticized Merkel for confusing net and gross income figures during a campaign speech. Following this, polls suggested that the CDU/CSU and FDP would only win 48% of votes between them, and thus would not be able to form a government.[2] Further damage occurred when two prominent CDU/CSU candidates, Jörg Schönbohm and the CSU leader Edmund Stoiber, made insulting remarks about East Germans. These remarks not only alienated voters in Eastern Germany but also made some question the CDU/CSU's confidence in Merkel, as she is herself grew up in the East.[3], [4], [5] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1760x1168, 380 KB) Election placard in Berlin of the Free Democratic Party (Germany) for the German federal election, 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1760x1168, 380 KB) Election placard in Berlin of the Free Democratic Party (Germany) for the German federal election, 2005. ... Net income is equal to the income that a firm has after subtracting costs and expenses from the total revenue. ... == Is the amount of a companys revenue after deducting cost of goods sold. ...


However, polls carried out by the Süddeutsche Zeitung in late August showed the CDU/CSU/FDP bloc back up at 51% of the vote. Predictions suggested that the opposing bloc of incumbent Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's ruling Social Democrats, the Greens and the country's recently formed left-wing Left Party (PDS/WASG alliance) would win a combined total of only 46%. The leaders of the SPD and the Greens, Schröder and Fischer, as well as the Left Party's front-runner Gregor Gysi said they opposed the idea of a "red-red-green" coalition. With polls remaining so close, speculation increased that (as in the elections of 1994, 1998 and 2002) a small number of overhang seats might impact significantly on the election results. The Süddeutsche Zeitung is a leading German quality newspaper. ... The Labor and Social Justice Party (German: Arbeit & soziale Gerechtigkeit – Die Wahlalternative or WASG) is a German political party founded in 2005 by activists disenchanted with the Social Democratic-Green government. ... Gregor Gysi Gregor Gysi (born January 16, 1948) is a German politician of the Left Party. ... The Additional Member System (AMS) is a voting system in which some representatives are elected from geographic constituencies and others are elected under proportional representation from party lists. ...

Left Party election placard
Left Party election placard

On Sunday September 4, Schröder and Merkel met in a head-to-head debate broadcast by four of Germany's major private and public television networks. Although most commentators gave the initial edge to Merkel, polls soon showed that the general public disagreed and ranked Schröder the clear winner. Later analysis suggested that, in particular, Merkel's support for a flat-tax proposal by Paul Kirchhof, the shadow Finance Minister, further undermined her credibility on economic affairs and gave the impression that the CDU's economic reforms would only benefit the very rich. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2953x1945, 2744 KB) Description: Election campaign of the Linkspartei in Germany, 2005 Source: photo taken by Barbara Mürdter Date: August 2005 Author: Barbara Mürdter Permission: Barbara Mürdter put it under the CC-BY-SA Other versions of this... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2953x1945, 2744 KB) Description: Election campaign of the Linkspartei in Germany, 2005 Source: photo taken by Barbara Mürdter Date: August 2005 Author: Barbara Mürdter Permission: Barbara Mürdter put it under the CC-BY-SA Other versions of this... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... A flat tax, also called a proportional tax, is a system that taxes all entities in a class (typically either citizens or corporations) at the same rate (as a proportion on income), as opposed to a graduated, or progressive, scheme. ... Paul Kirchhof (* February 21, 1943 in Osnabrück) is a German expert in law and finance. ...


Midweek polls showed the SPD clawing their way upwards by a few percentage points, although the combined CDU/CSU and FDP votes tended to remain 1 to 2 percentage points ahead of those for the left-wing parties combined. On the eve of the election, the CDU enjoyed a 9% lead over the SPD (42% and 33% respectively), with neither party likely to have enough seats (even with their preferred coalition partners) to form a government. Merkel's personal popularity (consistently below that of her party) had climbed back up to 40%, from a low of 30%, whilst Schröder's had reached a peak of 53% (having consistently exceeded that of his party). However, polls also showed that even at this late stage a quarter of German voters had not yet decided how to vote, and that these undecided voters could decide the final result if they turned out to vote. With polls still so close, the parties broke with tradition and continued campaigning on the Saturday before the election and on election day itself. Whilst pundits focused on the likelihood of a grand coalition, the CDU suggested that the SPD might consent to forming a coalition with the new Left Party. A grand coalition is a coalition government in a parliamentary system where political parties representing a vast majority of the parliament unite in a coalition. ...


Vote

Ballot for electoral district 252, Würzburg. Constituency vote on left, party list vote on right.
Ballot for electoral district 252, Würzburg. Constituency vote on left, party list vote on right.

Germany went to the polls on September 18, 2005. Voters in one constituency in Dresden had to wait until October 2 to vote, in order to allow the reprinting of ballot-papers after the death of the National Democratic Party candidate on September 8. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (792x1504, 460 KB) Beschreibung: Stimmzettel zur Bundestagswahl 2005, Wahlkreis 252 Würzburg Quelle: selbst fotografiert Fotograf: Christian VisualBeo Horvat Datum: 31. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (792x1504, 460 KB) Beschreibung: Stimmzettel zur Bundestagswahl 2005, Wahlkreis 252 Würzburg Quelle: selbst fotografiert Fotograf: Christian VisualBeo Horvat Datum: 31. ... September 18 is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dresden (Sorbian: Drježdźany; etymologically from Old Sorbian Drežďany, meaning people of the riverside forest) is the capital city of the German Federal Free State of Saxony and situated in a valley on the River Elbe. ... October 2 is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ... The National Democratic Party could refer to Mongolian National Democratic Party National Democratic Party (Barbados) National Democratic Party (Djibouti) National Democratic Party (Egypt) National Democratic Party (Georgia) National Democratic Party (Germany) National Democratic Party (Iraq) National Democratic Party (Poland) National Democratic Party (Suriname) National Democratic Party (UK) National Democratic Party... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ...


Soon after voting ended it became clear that the CDU/CSU (the “Union”) had narrowly edged out the SPD, but that neither of the two likely coalitions (SPD-Greens and CDU/CSU-FDP) could achieve a Kanzlermehrheit - the support of the majority of members of the Bundestag required to elect a Chancellor. Exit polls for both the ARD and the ZDF television networks showed the CDU/CSU on 35%, the SPD on 34%, the FDP on 10%, the Left Party on 9% and the Greens on 8%; a Forsa poll differed slightly, predicting 36% for the CDU/CSU and 8% for the Left Party. Early seat projections suggested that the CDU/CSU and the SPD had virtually tied in the count for seats in the Bundestag. The exit polls and projections proved broadly accurate in the preliminary results released on September 19 and in the final results published on October 7. SPD redirects here. ... Bündnis 90/Die Grünen (literally: Alliance 90/The Greens), the German Green Party, is a political party in Germany whose regional predecessors were founded in the late 1970s as part of the new social movements. ... The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU - Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest conservative political party in Germany. ... The Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU – ) is a conservative political party in Germany. ... The Free Democratic Party (Freie Demokratische Partei - FDP) is a liberal political party in Germany. ... An exit poll is a poll of voters taken immediately after they have exited the polling stations. ... ARD may refer to: ARD (broadcaster), the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, the German association of public broadcasters. ... Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (Second German Television), ZDF, is a public service German-language television channel based in Mainz. ... Forsa can mean: Forsa Court District - a district of Helsingia in Sweden Forssa - a municipality of Tavastia Proper in Finland This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Left Party (In German: , officially with a period at the end), formerly Party of Democratic Socialism (Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus, PDS) is a left-wing socialist political party in Germany. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...


The SPD/Green coalition fell from 306 seats (in a house of 603), to 273 seats (in a house of 614) whilst the opposition CDU/CSU-FDP coalition fell from 295 seats to 286 seats. Both potential coalitions fell far short of the 308 seats required for a majority in this Bundestag. The Left Party and the FDP overtook the Greens, previously Germany’s third most-popular party since 1994. The FDP, with almost 10% of the vote, scored its best result since the 1990 federal election, regaining its status as the Federal Republic’s third party, which it had enjoyed throughout the history of West Germany and maintained in the first post-German reunification election. Some analysts believe that the rise in the FDP vote came as a result of tactical voting by CDU-CSU voters hoping to prevent a grand coalition by buttressing the Free Democrats. Of the parties that failed to secure the 5% needed to attain seats in the Bundestag, the National Democratic Party performed best, winning 1.6% of the list vote and 1.8% of the constituency vote (approximately the same as the proportion of spoilt ballots). The 13th German federal election, 1994 was conducted on October 16, 1994, to elect members to the Bundestag (lower house) of Germany. ... The 34th German federal election, 1990 was conducted on December 2, 1990, to elect members to the Bundestag (lower house) of Germany. ... The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung) took place on October 3, 1990, when the areas of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR, in English commonly called East Germany) were incorporated into the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG, in... In voting systems, tactical voting (or strategic voting) occurs when a voter misrepresents his or her sincere preferences in order to gain a more favorable outcome. ... The National Democratic Party could refer to Mongolian National Democratic Party National Democratic Party (Barbados) National Democratic Party (Djibouti) National Democratic Party (Egypt) National Democratic Party (Georgia) National Democratic Party (Germany) National Democratic Party (Iraq) National Democratic Party (Poland) National Democratic Party (Suriname) National Democratic Party (UK) National Democratic Party...


Aftermath

The final distribution of seats in the Bundestag.

Both Angela Merkel (CDU) and Gerhard Schröder (SPD) claimed victory and the Chancellorship as the exit polls came in. It soon became clear that neither could form a majority government within the existing coalitions. Largely because of strong hostility between Schröder and Oskar Lafontaine, a former SPD chairman turned leader of the Left Party, the obvious left-wing coalition of the SPD, Greens and Left Party was not possible. However, both the CDU and SPD said that they would negotiate with all parties that had won seats except the Left Party, whilst the leaders of the Left Party rejected any possibility of participating in a coalition with either of the two main parties. The exclusion of the Left Party reduced the possible coalitions to the following three arrangements: Image File history File links German_federal_election,_2005_-_Final. ...   (IPA //) (born in Hamburg, Germany on July 17, 1954) is the current Chancellor of Germany. ...   [] (born April 7, 1944), German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. ... The head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (German: Kanzler or Bundeskanzler meaning federal chancellor). ... Oskar Lafontaine Oskar Lafontaine (born September 16, 1943 in Saarlouis-Roden) is a left-wing German politician and a leading member of the Left Party. ...

  • SPD, FDP and Greens (called the "traffic light" coalition, after the colours used to symbolize those parties: red, yellow and green, respectively). (The SPD governed in coalition with the Greens from 1998 to 2005, and in coalition with the FDP from 1969 to 1982.)
  • CDU/CSU, FDP and Greens (called the "Jamaica" coalition after those parties' colours: black, yellow and green, respectively, which colours also feature in the Jamaican national flag). (The CDU/CSU governed in coalition with the FDP from 1949 to 1966 and from 1982 to 1998; but neither party had worked with the Greens in federal government.)
  • CDU/CSU and SPD (a Grand Coalition). (The CDU/CSU and SPD previously governed in a Grand Coalition from 1966 to 1969.)

Party-political differences and intense personal hostility between many of the party leaders (particularly between Schröder and Merkel, but also between Schröder and Lafontaine) made negotiations problematic. All party leaders had previously ruled out anything except the usual coalitions. After the election, FDP leaders stated that they would rather remain in opposition than form a coalition with the SPD and the Greens, and Joschka Fischer dismissed the possibility of a Jamaica coalition, saying, "Can you really see Angela Merkel and Edmund Stoiber sitting round the table in dreadlocks? This is more our style. It's impossible".[6] Any form of compromise looked to require a change in leadership of one of the main parties. Traffic light coalition is a term originating in German politics where it describes a coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Free Democratic Party (FDP), and the Green Party. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jamaicas national flag Jamaica coalition (German: Jamaika-Koalition; also known as the Jamaica alliance, Jamaica traffic light, black traffic light or Schwampel) is a term used to identify a potential coalition among the parties of the German Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), Free Democratic Party (FDP... 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1949 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... A grand coalition is a coalition government in a parliamentary system where political parties representing a vast majority of the parliament unite in a coalition. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Joschka Fischer Joseph Martin Joschka Fischer (April 12, 1948 – ) was German foreign minister and Vice Chancellor in the government of Gerhard Schröder from 1998 to 2005. ... Jamaicas national flag Jamaica coalition (German: Jamaika-Koalition; also known as the Jamaica alliance, Jamaica traffic light, black traffic light or Schwampel) is a term used to identify a potential coalition among the parties of the German Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU), Free Democratic Party (FDP...


Despite some prominent members publicly blaming Merkel for its poor showing, the CDU/CSU confirmed her as leader on September 20.[7] On September 22, SPD members began musing that the political system should consider the CDU and the CSU as separate entities rather than as a single parliamentary faction. In such a scenario, the SPD would be the largest party in the Bundestag and thus, they argued, an SPD member should become Chancellor in any Grand Coalition. One SPD legislator indicated he planned to introduce a motion in the Bundestag explicitly defining the CDU and the CSU as separate parties. The Greens rejected coalition with the CDU/CSU after talks broke down.[8] The CDU/CSU pressed their case for the Chancellery after victory in the delayed vote in Dresden, and ahead of talks with the SPD; the SPD maintained their own claim, but Schröder indicated that he would step aside if his party wished it.[9] September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... Dresden (Sorbian: Drježdźany; etymologically from Old Sorbian Drežďany, meaning people of the riverside forest) is the capital city of the German Federal Free State of Saxony and situated in a valley on the River Elbe. ...


Finally, on October 10, officials from the CDU/CSU and the SPD announced that negotiations to form a Grand Coalition had succeeded. Angela Merkel would become Chancellor and the sixteen seats in the new cabinet (including the Chancellery) would go equally to each side, with both the CDU/CSU and the SPD each having eight posts. The SPD would control eight ministeries including the important roles of finance and foreign affairs, whilst the CDU/CSU would control six ministeries as well as providing the Chancellor and the Director of the Federal Chancellery (the Chancellor's Chief of Staff), who would also hold the position of Minister for Special Affairs. [10] [11] Gerhard Schröder would reportedly retire from politics.[12][13] October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... The Cabinet of Germany (German: Bundeskabinett, Bundesregierung) is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... The Minister of Finance is the member of the Cabinet of Germany in charge of the Ministry of Finance. ... The Minister of Foreign Affairs is the member of the Cabinet of Germany in charge of the Foreign Office. ...


Detailed negotiations on the formation of the new government continued into November, with Edmund Stoiber of the CSU withdrawing from the proposed cabinet to continue as Minister-president of Bavaria. All three parties held conferences on November 14 (the CDU in Berlin, the CSU in Munich and the SPD in Karlsruhe) which voted to approve the deal.[14] The majority of CDU/CSU and SPD delegates in the newly-assembled Bundestag elected Merkel as Chancellor on 22 November.[15] 397 members of the Bundestag voted for Merkel, indicating that 51 members from one or more of the SPD, CDU or CSU do not support the coalition deal. French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin with Edmund Stoiber Arnold Schwarzenegger with Edmund Stoiber Dr. jur. ... A minister-president (Ministerpräsident) is the head of government of a German federal state; the office corresponds to the governorship of a state in the United States. ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining until the end of the year. ... The Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU - Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands) is the largest conservative political party in Germany. ... Berlin is the capital city and one of the sixteen states of the Federal Republic of Germany. ... The Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU – ) is a conservative political party in Germany. ... Munich: Frauenkirche and Town Hall steeple Munich: St. ... SPD redirects here. ... Karlsruhe (population 283,959 in 2005) is a city in the south west of Germany, in the Bundesland Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border. ... November 22 is the 326th day (327th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...


Reports have indicated that the Grand Coalition will pursue a mix of policies, some of which directly contradict aspects of Merkel's political platform as a former leader of the opposition and candidate for Chancellor. The coalition intends to cut public spending whilst increasing VAT, social-insurance contributions and the top rate of income tax.[16] Employment protection will no longer cover employees during their first two years in a job, and the new government intend freeze pensions and to scrap subsidies for first-time home buyers. In the field of foreign policy, Germany will maintain its strong ties with France and with Poland, and will continue its support for Turkey one day becoming a member of the European Union. Merkel has defined the main aim of her government as reducing unemployment, and expressed the hope that posterity will judge the success of her tenure on the basis of this issue.[17] vat can be a type of barrel used for storage. ... For specific national programs, see Social Security (United States), National insurance (UK), Social Security (Sweden) Social security refers to a variety of government programs providing for social welfare and social protection and the alleviation of poverty among senior citizens and the disabled. ... An income tax is a tax levied on the financial income of persons, corporations or other legal entities. ...


See also

This is a list of political parties in Germany. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  • (German) Official Results from the Federal Election Officer
    • Results summary in English
  • Deutsche Welle's latest news and podcasts on the 2005 German election
  • (German) Results at tagesschau.de
  • Flickr group Wahl05 with pictures of the German federal election 2005, posters, events, politicians
  • (German) Parteien-Geschichte.de Among others Election Posters from German Federal Election 2005

Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Poll results


Reichstag and Bundestag elections in Germany
German Empire: 1871 | 1874 | 1877 | 1878 | 1881 | 1884 | 1887 | 1890 | 1893 | 1898 | 1903 | 1907 | 1912
Weimar Republic: 1919 | 1920 | 1924 (May) | 1924 (Dec) | 1928 | 1930 | 1932 (July) | 1932 (Nov) | 1933
Federal Republic: 1949 | 1953 | 1957 | 1961 | 1965 | 1969 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1983 | 1987 | 1990 | 1994 | 1998 | 2002 | 2005 | next

  Results from FactBites:
 
Politics of Germany - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2997 words)
Federal legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, Bundestag and Bundesrat.
For example, in the middle of January 2001, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture was renamed to Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture as a consequence of the BSE crisis.
Half an hour after the election results, the SPD chairman Franz Müntefering announced that the chancellor would clear the way for premature federal elections by the means of a purposely lost vote of confidence.
  More results at FactBites »


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.