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Category: Germany

Annalena Baerbock to succeed Merkel?

Annalena Baerbock to succeed Merkel?

Could the 40 year old Green nominee win September’s election? Finland has one. New Zealand has one. Is Germany about to join the list of countries with young, dynamic female premiers breathing new life into democratic politics? Forty-year old Annalena Baerbock co-leads the German Green Party and if recent polls are correct then her party is on course for a stunning performance in the autumn federal elections. A young mother from Lower Saxony, she is said to be tough and…

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Angela’s Ashes. Germany throws its two party system on the bonfire

Angela’s Ashes. Germany throws its two party system on the bonfire

The  German state of Hessen goes to the polls this  weekend.  Hessen has been something of a swing state between the CDU and SPD. The current state assembly has the CDU in power on 38% of the vote in a coalition with the Greens  who  won 11%. The SPD leads  the opposition with 31%. But all is not well. The large national parties are worried  by the shifting ground in German  politics. A look at recent polling shows why Both the CDU and SPD…

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Germany: a predictable election?

Germany: a predictable election?

Graphic: The most recent German polling, further details available here On the face of it, the German elections are remarkably unexciting. Chancellor Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) has been leading in the polls ever since the last election, and her only serious challenger, Martin Schulz of the Social Democrats (SP), has fallen back after an early bounce. Four other parties are competing for third place: the free-market liberals (FDP), the ex-Communist Left (Linke), the Greens and the anti-immigrant AfD. The current…

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This year’s German election: Angela Merkel’s re-election might not be as certain as the betting markets think

This year’s German election: Angela Merkel’s re-election might not be as certain as the betting markets think

Latest German polls Nick Palmer on the other big European contest in 2017 The general assumption that Merkel is certain to be re-elected as Chancellor after the elections later this year is reflected in the betting odds. At the time of writing, her Betfair odds are 1.73. However, it’s always a good idea for punters to check that assumptions remain valid. The surprise selection of Martin Schulz as her Social Democrat (SPD) challenger has produced an immediate bump in SPD…

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