And now witness how Germany will say "yes" to war on iraq

[Bereta_Eder]

would you vote for lepen?

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
[q]*cough* Looks at the UK where right wingers ruled for 14 years.

Tories were in power from '79 to '97. Thats 18 years.

Add on the current labour government (a.k.a Tory Plan B) and the right has been in power for 23 years.

[Bereta_Eder]

Sagacious Dolphin. Not afraid to be burlesque at times

[Stefu]

Maybe it is the left that is the imcompetant ones.

Esp. considering that, if I remember correctly, before Tonester no Labour PM had served two consecutive terms. And Tone hasn't been much of a leftist by any stretch...

[Boris Godunov]

No way. His majority is too slim. If he did, the Greens would probably bolt, and his new government would have the lifespan of an Italian parliament.

[Chris 62]

Why Paiktis, are you saying the German government is being muniplative and dishonest?

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Chris 62
Why Paiktis, are you saying the German government is being muniplative and dishonest?

These elections appeared modelled on the US system, so why not the government?

[Chris 62]

US doesn't need to hate some other country to have an election, it's to busy hating each other's party.

How quickly deutchland forgets it's friends, the frogs and limeys were against unifacation, but the US favored...

Ah, they become more third world like every day.

[Drake Tungsten]

No way. His majority is too slim. If he did, the Greens would probably bolt, and his new government would have the lifespan of an Italian parliament.

Why would the Greens bolt? Right now they have influence on German policy, even if Schroeder chooses to ignore them on the Iraq issue. Some influence is better than no influence, which is what the Greens would have if they broke the coalition with the SPD and allowed the CDU-FDP coalition into power. The Greens will do what Schroeder tells them to...

[nationalist]

Originally posted by paiktis22
about the US, they are all right wingers.

I think you're further right than most Americans, Mr. Greek Nationalist. You're anti American with Nationalist and Socialist views. What does that make you...

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Boris Godunov
No way. His majority is too slim. If he did, the Greens would probably bolt, and his new government would have the lifespan of an Italian parliament.

Stoiber can only hope you are correct.

[chequita guevara]

Drake, don't forget the Left is often willing to sacrifice itself for its principles in the short term if, in the long term, it improves their prospects.

[Drake Tungsten]

Drake, don't forget the Left is often willing to sacrifice itself for its principles in the short term if, in the long term, it improves their prospects.

Abandoning the coalition wouldn't improve the Greens prospects in the long term. The SPD is the only compatible coalition partner for the Greens and it would be idiotic to destroy relations by challenging Schroeder on Iraq. Not only would they lose all influence over German policy in the short term, but they would also gain the emnity of the SPD, severely reducing the Greens chances of ever being in a majority coalition again. Destroying the coalition over Iraq is a lose-lose situation for the Greens.

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Drake, don't forget the Left is often willing to sacrifice itself for its principles in the short term if, in the long term, it improves their prospects.

Abandoning the coalition wouldn't improve the Greens prospects in the long term. The SPD is the only compatible coalition partner for the Greens and it would be idiotic to destroy relations by challenging Schroeder on Iraq. Not only would they lose all influence over German policy in the short term, but they would also gain the emnity of the SPD, severely reducing the Greens chances of ever being in a majority coalition again. Destroying the coalition over Iraq is a lose-lose situation for the Greens.

I categorically disagree. If Schroeder does an about-face on this, the anti-war German people will be infuriated with the SDP. The Greens can then use the memory of the incident to gain ground with left-leaning voters who oppose the war. They would be able to pick up seats (most at the expense of the SDP, I'm sure), and put them in a more powerful position. And guess what? The SDP would still have to work with them, especially then, to form a majority government.

[Imran Siddiqui]

would you vote for lepen?

No, I'd vote for Chirac. Wasn't my fault that Jospin didn't even get enough votes to get into the runoff . Shows that the left is hurting even in France.

SD: Sorry, For some reason I thought the Tory reign ended earlier. But yes, another right win government, just by another name rules that country .

The SDP would still have to work with them, especially then, to form a majority government.

Who says? They could offer the FDP to join the coalition as there has been SPD-FDP coalitions in the past. And of course there is the idea of a Grand Coalition between CDU-SPD, somewhat like what was in Austria before Haider gained enough votes that the Peoples' Party didn't need the Social Democrats for majority.