Comment by Markus Langemann //
I'm sure you don't need any further help reading the decision made by the sovereign on election day yesterday. However, I would like to fulfill my duty as a chronicler, lest anyone say that I didn't see it that way.
ThuringiaAfD (32.8 %) and CDU (23.6 %) together result in 56,4 % of the electorate. The majority of voters - and therefore very clearly - want conservative policies.
The SPD, Greens and FDP together received 10.4 % of the votes cast. This means that the so-called traffic light system is in free fall in political favor. Voter turnout was 73.6 %, the highest turnout in 30 years.
SaxonyCDU (31.9 %) + AfD (30.6 %) add up to 62,5 % of the electorate. The majority of voters - and even more so than in Thuringia - want conservative policies.
SPD, Greens and FDP together come to 13.3 %. The relative gap to the so-called Ampel is even greater here. At74.4 %, voter turnout in Saxony reached its highest level since reunification.
In both federal states, the political will of the voters has been clearly articulated.
So it's very simple!
Trust in democratic processes and political decision-making would erode further and damage the country as a whole if - in view of the obviousness of the will of the voters as articulated by the sovereign - the incumbents were not to hand over their office responsibly in humility and gratitude in accordance with the will of the voters.
Any angular arithmetic aimed at undermining the clear electoral mandate will open up the social San Andreas Fault. What remains is a country divided for years to come and the loss of faith in residual political honesty.
The election result in both countries is therefore not a "difficult" one, as the mainstream media unanimously imply. On the contrary. It is a gift from voters to politicians to heal a society that is drifting apart.
So it remains for me to highlight some remarkable election findings.
In Saxony, 52 % and in Thuringia 55 % of CDU voters only voted for the CDU "to prevent the AfD from gaining too much influence". In these states, the CDU is under the Trapattoni verdict and is "finished".
It is remarkable that the FDP was buried yesterday evening without a media eulogy. The devices had already been switched off beforehand (with 0.9 % and 1.1 %). I think I'll get myself a poster before the other souvenir hunters arrive.
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14 Responses
Unfortunately, the saying proves itself time and again.
If elections changed anything, they would have been banned long ago.
What the citizens want and give their employees in the form of a vote of confidence is often forgotten as soon as they enter parliament. It is only 4 weeks before the next election that you see them smiling on posters again. Everything is promised (you could also say promised) and many believe it, unfortunately.
The CDU must be allowed to renounce a coalition with the AfD, especially as around half of its voters explicitly want this. Whether this is right or wrong is unclear to me. I also don't see the danger of a growing division in our society. The old German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard said that the German people should be moderate, how wise. The current government should represent all citizens to a certain extent and not just stand up excessively for its own political camp. For example, given the current mood, a continuation of the seemingly unlawful migration policy is of little use if the goal is a peaceful and free society. The same applies to the question of war and peace or the dogmatic narrowing of scientific research into vaccinations or climate change. We used to pride ourselves on being a society based on consensus. In the meantime, we are moving in a cultural downward spiral, thinking and understanding are being ostracized - depending on how or whom. We are experiencing an infantilization in politics, the media and society that is spreading in a bad way. If we want things to improve, we should all start with ourselves.
If the CDU continues to do this, it will deprive itself of any political room for maneuver for a long time to come. Without the AfD, the left-wing camp, SPDGreensLeftBSW, will always have a majority nationwide. The dream of a green-bourgeois coalition of CDU and Greens has always been a chimera. If Merkel ever meant it seriously at all. There will be no new politics in Germany without the involvement of right-wing movements. And that is a disaster for the country in view of the dogmatic Greens, who have held all parties hostage to date. As far as the opinion of party members is concerned, when has it ever really played a role? Parties shape the opinions of their members and not the other way around.
I see it similarly. Ultimately, the CDU's refusal will lead to greater polarization and the AfD will become stronger. Maaßen ended this project immediately after the founding of the WerteUnion with his unfortunate coalition statements and the unfortunate appointment of board members, and this will not have been to the AfD's disadvantage either. The CDU still needs a little more descent before it finally becomes the AfD's junior partner. In general, the problems here in Germany are not yet big enough to be noticed by the masses; things will only get much worse before a rethink gradually sets in. The EU countries that are most similar to us, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, show us the future development. Incidentally, Merkel has never been a conservative in the positive sense, she has never really formulated what she stands for. She was good at retaining power, but we'd rather keep quiet about the rest.
Very interesting opinions. I find it frightening that after 40 years of failed communism, a paid opposition is once again getting so many people to vote for these traitors just so that the AfD doesn't get any votes. The AfD's election manifesto actually addresses the failure of the traffic light system and now the so-called winners want to implement exactly that. Are they then possibly also secured right-wing extremists? That would be worth considering.
Math and a pencil always help! Thank you for your concise and accurate comment! We must also remember that it is the CDU that is not doing justice to its historical task. Fueled by Merkel, it has walled itself into the firewall! As a result, Germany is once again completely missing out on the process of political reorientation in Europe from left to conservative in the key policy areas of migration, the energy transition and the Ukraine war. Something that a small and ideologically independent country like Denmark can do elegantly! And Europe wants to lead something like this? Better not, say our neighbors. Instead, we are becoming the main player in American politics in Europe and, not to mention, the main payer. When will the Germans ever grow up politically? P.S.: The left, i.e. the SPD/Greens/Left/BSW, at least have enough tactical understanding to keep their loss of support somewhat under control with BSW and to make coalitions on the right even more difficult. When will Mr. Merz finally understand that? I have always considered him to be a very weak candidate.
Unfortunately, the commentator is right on all counts. Greetings from Dresden. Hubert Linke
I share the view that the CDU is "finished". The more important aspect in my opinion, however, is that if the AfD and BSW were to join forces, it would be enough for a majority in both countries that is critical of arms deliveries and measures. If they don't do this, they will have to ask themselves whether their proclamations on these important issues were just voter catching. In my opinion, this also means that the AfD and the BSW are finished.
Unfortunately, I cannot agree here.
The BSW consists largely of ex-communists and socialists. I believe that the one or two overlaps will not be enough for a cooperation between AfD and BSW, the other differences are serious. Hubert Linke
Yes, they will continue to play this unworthy game. Unfortunately, these politicians don't have the balls to admit that now is the time to finally stop this firewall talk and start doing politics for the people. And I dare to take a look into the crystal ball. By "carrying on like this", the AfD will increase its voter base at every upcoming election until they simply don't need anyone anymore. It's as simple as that.
Unfortunately, even 35 years after reunification, many voters still haven't realized that part of the problem will never be solved. I have no idea why the CDU still has 30%. Didn't they prove several times under Merkel that they too are incapable of tackling problems?
On the contrary, everything they touched made the problems worse!
I live in Thuringia and the conversations today during the lunch break were interesting. From the 3rd Reich possibly to emigration to the total loss of the economy and jobs and the collapse of tourism, everything was there. I didn't ask any questions, we parted ways in 2020 when people who had been intelligent up to that point started behaving strangely without question.
Hello Nicole, thank you for your open opinion. It helps to read that you are not alone. It's interesting that when the left came to power in Thuringia, that's exactly what I was predicted, loss of the economy and jobs etc.. I was working in Hesse at the time. 2020 was also the landmark year for me.
The citizens have spoken/voted: CDU and AFD. So get round the table and finally make smart policies together and not divide more and more. It can't get any worse than the last year! The AFD is not to blame for the disaster, it was the traffic light's fault.