October 17, 2005
Prodi Picked to Challenge Berlusconi in Next Italian Election
On October 16, 2005, Romano Prodi was the winner "of Italy's first ever primary vote to select a candidate for a general election," according to EuroNews.
Mr. Prodi "was overwhelmingly backed by the electorate to lead the centre-left challenge to oust Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. That showdown is due by next May," the publication said. Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:39 AM | Comments (0)
Der Spiegel Interviews Chancellor-in Waiting Angela Merkel
Spiegel Online has an interview with German Chancellor-in-waiting Angela Merkel. "I am Immune to the Seduction of Power," she declares in the interview. Time will tell.
Also see "Taking Stock of Gerhard Schroder."
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:30 AM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2005
How Did Angela Merkel Get to the Top?
Ralf Neukirch of Der Spiegel, in an October 11, 2005 article headlined "Merkel's Surprising Rise to the Top," wrote: Even when she became the leader of the conservatives, few people -- including many within her own party -- took her seriously. All luck, they said. But now, Angela Merkel is set to become Germany's first ever woman chancellor and has left all her political opponents in the dust. How did she do it?
Good question. Here's Neukirch's answer.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:51 AM | Comments (0)
U.S. Doesn't Expect Ties With Germany to Change Under Merkel
On October 11, 2005, Adam Ereli, the deputy spokesman for the U.S. Department of state, engaged in the following exchange with a reporter about Germany and its new chancellor:
QUESTION: Excuse me. Any comment on the outcome of the German political election, and also is there any hope in Washington that at least the atmospherics of the bilateral relationship might improve with the new Chancellor?
MR. ERELI: Oh, I wouldn't agree with the premise of the second part of that question. I think our bilateral elections -- our bilateral relations are excellent. Germany in so many ways is a bedrock and fundamental partner of the United States, no matter who's the chancellor or what government is in power. Clearly, there have been developments over the weekend in Germany. We congratulate Angela Merkel on being designated as Chancellor.
We also note that formal coalition negotiations will begin on October 17th. We welcome the announcement that those negotiations will begin and we look forward to working with the German Chancellor and the government that is formed to improve what I characterized as a bedrock partnership.
Here's the entire transcript of the State Department's October 11 daily briefing.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:07 AM | Comments (0)
The Christian Science Monitor on Angela Merkel
The Christian Science Monitor, one of the most prestigious newspapers in the United States, opined in an October 12, 2005 editorial that: "Angela Merkel has two "firsts" to her name. The soon-to-be leader of Germany will be its first female chancellor, and its first who grew up in communist East Germany. Oddly, she's never made much of either first. For Germany's sake, she should.
Question: How can she have made much of being the first female chancellor?. She just got the job. For more, please see "Merkel's misguided modesty."
Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:50 AM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2005
Poland's Presidential Vote Now in the Second Round
"The first round of Polish presidential elections mirrored last month's parliamentary vote, with two right-leaning candidates winning by a large margin," according to Lucia Kubosova at EUobserver.com. "But the position of the winning parties has changed, with the relatively moderate Donald Tusk of the Civic Platform coming in first, followed by the more conservative Lech Kaczynski from the Law and Justice party." Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:37 AM | Comments (0)
Prodi Takes on Berlusconi
Is Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, President George W. Bush's most loyal ally in Europe after Britain's Anthony Blair, in political trouble?
It's hard to tell for certain but Camilla Lai, a Reuters correspondent in Rome, noted today that, "Opposition leader Romano Prodi accused Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Sunday [October 9, 2005] of wrecking Italy's finances and international reputation as he effectively kicked off his campaign to win a 2006 general election."
"At a packed rally," Ms. Lai wrote, "he also said Berlusconi's government wanted to cheat the center-left of victory by changing Italy's electoral rules." Mr. Prodi told "up to 100,000 flag-waving sympathizers at a sun-drenched city center-square":
The ruling coalition promised miracles and produced disasters. Italy and the Italians deserve better.According to Ms. Lai, Mr. Prodi was "flanked by the leaders of opposition parties who have pledged to unite to unseat Berlusconi, who has been in office for four years."
"Elections are due by next May, with opinion polls making the center-left the firm favorite." she noted.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:06 AM | Comments (0)
Der Spiegel: 'Merkel Will Lead But Social Democrats Remain Strong'
Carsten Volkery and Severin Weiland, writing in the October 10, 2005 edition of Der Spiegel Online, said: Angela Merkel has arrived. Almost. There's only one hurdle remaining between the leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union and the chancellery -- a parliamentary vote. Nevertheless, on Monday [October 10, 2005] it became clear that, sometime next month, she will almost certainly become the first female chancellor in German history. She could have raised her hands in a show of victory, but instead she stayed true to her nature.
They noted that, " For this woman from Germany's often cool and reserved north, showy displays of emotion just aren't on message."Read more here.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:50 AM | Comments (0)
German Press Opinion on Chancellor Merkel
"German newspapers called Angela Merkel's announcement that she will be the country's next chancellor an historic moment, but said she faced a tough time leading a left-right coalition," Deutsche Welle said in an October 11, 2005 roundup of press opinion on Ms. Merkel.
Also see "Kohl's Girl" Makes Good" and "Grand Coalition a Delicate Balancing Act.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:40 AM | Comments (0)
October 05, 2005
Schröder, Merkel to Negotiate October 6 on Chancellor Issue
"Germany's two main parties will meet on Thursday [October 6, 2005] to thrash out who will lead a coalition government to break Germany's political deadlock following inconclusive elections, party sources said," Deutsche Welle reported October 5, 2005.
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Deutsche Welle said, "Both rivals for the top job, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder of the Social Democrats and his conservative challenger Angela Merkel, said the final round of exploratory talks on forming a left-right government Wednesday was "positive."
"But they said "personnel issues" must be decided before formal coalition negotiations could begin -- officials from Merkel's Christian Democrats then revealed that the parties would sit down on Thursday to begin talking through the high-stakes issue," Deutsche Welle noted.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:25 PM | Comments (0)
October 03, 2005
Social Democrats Seem to be Preparing for Life Without Schröder
Der Spiegel's Charles Hawley reported today that, "The final votes have finally been tallied in Germany. But the stalemate between Angela Merkel and Gerhard Schröder continues."
He said "compromises, however, may be just around the corner," and that, "the Social Democratic Party seems to be preparing for life without Schröder." Read more here.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:24 PM | Comments (0)
Schröder Hints He Could End Quest for a Third Term
"Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said on Monday [October 3, 2005] that he would be prepared to step aside in the interest of forming a stable coalition with the conservatives. But his party said it still wanted a third term for him," Deutsche Welle reported October 3, 2005. Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)
Does Merkel Now Have an Edge Over Schröder?
"In Dresden, Germany's final district to vote, Angela Merkel's conservatives extended their lead over Gerhard Schröder's Social Democrats, giving her the edge in the power struggle over who should become chancellor," Deutsche Welle reported October 3, 2005.
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The news outlet said, "Results from the poll in the eastern city of Dresden showed that the conservatives will widen their three-seat advantage in parliament over Schröder's SPD by another one seat. Andreas Lammel led with 37 percent, while Marlies Volkmer of the SPD received 32.1 percent."
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:33 AM | Comments (0)
Germany's Christian Democrats Gain Another Seat
The EU Observer's Honor Mahoney reported October 3, 2005 that, "Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) got a boost on Sunday (2 October) after a delayed election in Dresden gave the party an extra seat in parliament." Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:23 AM | Comments (0)
September 30, 2005
Germany's New Opposition
Deutsche Welle's Heinz Dylong told readers in a September 29, 2005 article headlined " Opinion: Germany's New Opposition":It's foreseeable that Germany's next government will be a grand coalition of the left-center Social Democratic Party and the right-center Christian Union parties, leaving the Free Democrats Greens and the Left Party to chew over what roles they'll play from the opposition's hard benches.
He said, "Each party will have to decide what risks it wants to take and how to show its strengths against a ruling government that will have a comfortable majority of about 450 of the some 600 seats in the Bundestag." Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 03:43 AM | Comments (0)
September 23, 2005
Merkel, Greens Party Fail to Coalesce
The Associated Press reported today that German "opposition leader Angela Merkel failed Friday [September 23, 2005] to persuade the Greens party to join talks on forming a coalition, closing another avenue for Germany to escape its post election stalemate." Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 08:03 AM | Comments (0)
Will Angela Merkel Flameout?
New York Times Correspondent Richard Bernstein, writing from Berlin, said, "It would be much too early to write her political obituary, but the German commentary and conversation these days is full of speculation about what could be one of the most rapid flameouts in the history of European politics." He added:Only a few weeks ago, Angela Merkel, the preacher's daughter from the former East Germany, seemed far in the lead in the race to be Germany's new chancellor, with almost all the public opinion polls showing her conservative party, the Christian Democratic Union, 14 points or more ahead of the Social Democratic Party of her rival, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.
Bernstein added: "Merkel was so far in the lead that the press and commentators treated her almost as if she had become chancellor already - the first woman to do so in Germany's history and the first post-war chancellor from Eastern Germany."
The correspondent acknowledged that, "Merkel could yet be chancellor, and she looked relaxed and confident Thursday [September 23, 2005] as she appeared on television and went into direct negotiations with Schröder about some way to break the political deadlock." The tone of the article suggests, however, that he has his doubts.
For more, please see "News Analysis: Following the trajectory of the candidate Merkel."
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:21 AM | Comments (0)
Birthler Wants New Left Party Parliamentarians Investigated
Deutsche Welle reported September 23, 2005 that, Marianne Birthler, "Germany's federal commissioner for the files of the former East German secret police," has called "for an investigation of new parliamentarians to check whether they worked for the organization."
She "already said that seven new members of parliament, all of the new Left Party, are known former members of the Stasi, the former East German secret police," Deutsche Welle noted.
"Birthler, the federal commissioner of the records of the National Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic, added that all of them should let their files be examined.," the publication said. Read more here.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:02 AM | Comments (0)
Deutsche Welle Looks at Possible Political Alliances in Germany
"With general elections on September 18 producing no clear winner, political parties [in Germany] are scrambling to hold talks to form a future government," Deutsche Welle reported September 23, 2005. The publication added: Among the possible constellations, the so-called "grand coalition" between the two main parties, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Christian Democrats (CDU), is seen as a serious option. The others include an alliance between the CDU, their preferred coalition partners, the free-market liberal FDP and the Greens, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's junior coalition partner in the government for the past seven years. The third likely combination includes the SPD, the FDP and the Greens.
Deutsche Welle said, "Whichever constellation finally comes to power, it will face battleground areas like labor market reform, as well as possible points of compromise like foreign policy." Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 06:37 AM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2005
Der Spiegel: 'How Germany's East Abandoned Angie'
Der Spiegel Online, in an informative analysis on Angela Merkel's presidential bid in last Sunday's elections in Germany, said "Nobody was surprised that the Left Party did well in former East Germany."
"But how did the Christian Democrats do so poorly?" the publication asked, noting that, "Their lead candidate Angela Merkel, after all, grew up in the formerly communist region. Now, the party of reunfication is just the third strongest in Germany's East."
For more, see "How Germany's East Abandoned Angie."
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:29 AM | Comments (0)
September 14, 2005
Is Germany Heading For a Political Stalemate?
In a dispatch from Berlin, The Times Online's Roger Boyes said, "Germany is heading for a damaging political stalemate, with opinion polls suggesting the outcome of Sunday's [September 18, 2005] general election is desperately close." Here's his analysis.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:45 PM | Comments (0)
'Unity Report Highlights Progress, Problems' in Eastern Germany
Deutsche Welle reported September 14, 2005 that, "A carefully timed report ahead of Sunday's elections [in Germany] praised the progress made in eastern Germany under [Chancellor Gerhard] Schröder's leadership, despite the glaring economic disparity between both halves of the country." Here's more on the subject.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:26 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2005
Tymoshenko Plans to Seek Ukranian Presidency
"Dismissed Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is going to run for a seat in parliament and for the country's presidency separately from her Orange Revolution ally Viktor Yushchenko, she said in an interview with Russian daily Kommersant," MosNews.Com noted in a September 13, 2005 report.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:36 AM | Comments (0)
Norwegians Choose Red-Green Alliance Over Centrists
EU Observer.Com reported today that, "The Norwegian centre-right government lost yesterday's [September 12, 2005] general elections, paving the way for a take-over of power by a red-green alliance."The populist Progress Party came (in) second," according to the Observer.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:25 AM | Comments (0)
September 10, 2005
Can Tymoshenko Be Forgiven By Yushchenko's Supporters?
RIA Novosti reported September 9, 2005 that, "Neither Ukrainian authorities nor the opposition are interested in the political success of dismissed Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko, a senior researcher at the CIS Institute in Moscow said Friday [September 9, 2005] at a news conference.
Konstantin Zatulin, "the director of the institute and member of the Russian parliament's lower house," was quoted as saying:
Whatever their differences might be, neither Yushchenko nor Yanukovich, i.e. the current authorities and the opposition, are interested in Yuliya Tymoshenko finding a place in the sun and being a political success.He said, " Further cooperation between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko is impossible. Yushchenko's inner circle would never forgive [her] for undoing their hero."
I agree. Too much bad blood has built up over the past few months. Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:18 PM | Comments (0)
Tymoshenko Fires Back at Yushchenko
Graeme Smith, writing from Moscow for The Globe and Mail of Toronto, Canada, noted in a September 10, 2005 dispatch that, "On the first day after Yulia Tymoshenko lost her job as prime minister of Ukraine, she gave a performance on national television that suggests she intends to win back power without the help of President Viktor Yushchenko," the man who fired her.
For more, see "Former Ukranian Prime Minister Fires Back."
Posted by Munir Umrani at 04:47 PM | Comments (0)
July 21, 2005
Pope Benedict XV Will Meet With Muslim Leaders in Germany
"Pope Benedict XVI will meet with Muslim officials for the first time in his pontificate, during his trip to Cologne for World Youth Day in August," according to a June 20, 2005 report in Catholic World News. Read more here.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
German Elections Set For September 18, 2005
"German President Horst Köhler gave the okay to dissolve parliament Thursday [July 21, 2005] and called for an early general election on September 18 [2005]," Deutsche Welle reported in a July 21, 2005 article. "Polls show Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will lose," the publication said.
Mr. Köhler was quoted as telling the nation in a televised broadcast: "It is my duty as president to decide this issue according to the law. I think it is best to have a new election to let the people decide." Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 09:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 23, 2005
Schroder's Call for Eary Elections in Germany a High Stakes Gamble
"German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's call for early federal elections this fall is a high-stakes gamble not only for Schröder and his Social Democrats at home, but for the European Union as a whole," according to DW-World.DE Deutsche Welle. Read why here.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 10:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 18, 2005
Will Spain Start Negotiations with ETA?
The Spain Herald states in a May 18, 2005 report that, "Spain's lower house of Parliament, the Congress of Deputies, yesterday passed a resolution introduced by the Socialist Party (PSOE) which supports negotiating with ETA if the terrorist organization lays down its arms. The resolution was supported by all parties except the People's Party (PP)," the paper said, adding: "The victims of ETA insisted yesterday that prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had "definitively betrayed" them." Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 07:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 08, 2005
Is Tony Blair's reelection a Pyrrhic victory?
Christian Science Monitor Correspondent Sophie Arie asserts in an article in the paper's May 9, 2005 edition that, "Britain may still be America's strongest ally and Europe's healthiest economy, but in the past few days its leader, Tony Blair, has gone from mighty to meek." She pulls no punches. Here's more.
Posted by Munir Umrani at 05:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
