Who's your Chancelor?

by - Monday, April 19, 2021

It seems like the Conservatives, the CDU, long the ruling party in Germany, can't get out of their own way.

Never mind that their ratings in the polls are in the septic tank, largely due to a Corona-weary nation and a few untimely blunders by the Ministry of Health during the vaccination rollout. 

To make matters far worse, now comes the obligatory power struggle between the man who wants to be Kanzler, or Chancelor, versus the man who should be, according to the polls.

In one corner meet Armin Laschet, Ministerpräsident of Nordrhein Westfalen, a man who loves to hear himself talk and watch himself on film. He is a politician's politician in that he says the right things at the right time. Oops, did I just butcher the lockdown in my own state, the most populous one in the country? That's so on Berlin. First he is open to a black-green, Conservative-Green Party coalition, then he doubts its efficiency. Power first. Virologists were "activists," for a long time, although, to his credit, he seems to have gained credibility vis a vis climate change. He is the short guy here with a bit of a Napoleon complex, which hasn't escaped the Germans.

In the other corner meet Markus Söder, born and raised in Nürnberg, Ministerpräsident of Bavaria and head of CDU's sister party, CSU, aka the Christian Socialist Party, who enjoy autonomy in Germany unlike any other state. Söder's ratings in Germany are high, people seemed to appreciate his iron fist during the long lockdown. Only one problem: that kind of autonomy has pretty much guaranteed that there has never been a Chancelor from Bavaria in Germany's history. Söder is a bear of a man, does not believe in smiling for the camera just because he should, and will call a spade a spade and a virus a virus. If any Bavarian ever had a chance to become Chancelor, he does. 

The story so far: too many of the old boy network within the CDU have voiced their support for Laschet, which hasn't fazed Söder. Laschet the candidate is risky, what with the hard-charging Green Party ready to assume the chancelorship for the first time in its history. The Green Party, fresh off a power struggle in its own rows, have nominated Annalena Baerbock, a young, charismatic dynamo from Niedersachden (Lower Saxony), who will be a formidable opponent for any campaign, regardless of who the candidate is for the Conservatives. Annalena Baerbock is the face of change in 21st century Germany, whereas Laschet and Söder are...well, still Conservatives.

The other parties who might make or break a coalition, the FDP (Libertarians), AFD (far right-wing party), die Linke (far left), and the SPD (long the left centrist party) will have candidates, although their chances of winning are considered low.

Bring out the popcorn. The election is not until September of this year, but the entertainment factor is already sky high. 

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