The general elections in Germany gave the CDU/CSU of Angela Merkel 33.8 per cent of the vote, enough to govern with the Liberals of Guido Westerwelle, who obtained 14.7 of the vote. In the next German parliament they will have between them 323 seats. The majority to govern is 309.
So far Angela Merkel presided over a grand coalition of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats which was never the kind of coalition the German Chancellor aspired for. The Social Democrats lost about 10 per cent of their vote and obtained only 23 per cent, the worst showing since the Second World War. On the other hand, the Liberals obtained their best result. Merkel hailed the result as one that attained their objectives, adding that she can govern Germany with a solid majority.
The elections in Germany are important not only for that country but also for the whole of Europe. Germany is the nation with the biggest population of the European Union. It is the chief exporting country in the world and the powerhouse of Europe.
Up to today Germany was governed by a centre-left coalition, a very fragile coalition made up of two opposing political ideologies. Following last Sunday’s election it will be governed by a centre-right government.
Out of 27 countries in the European Union only seven are now to the left of centre. And everything indicates that following the general elections in Britain the centre left governments will be only six. In the year 2000 there were 10 centre left governments in a European Union of 15. Today the number of centre-right government is 20 out of 27!
The writing on the wall was there for all to see. It started in Scandinavia. The centre-left lost to the centre-right in Denmark in 2001. Three years later it was the turn of Sweden. Sweden was followed by Finland, Greece, Holland and Italy.
The elections of June 6 for the European Parliament changed the political landscape of Europe when in 20 of the Member States right wing parties and centre-right parties won the elections. The left made headway in only seven Member States: Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Malta, Slovakia, Sweden and Rumania.
What is happening in Europe? Usually political parties in government are castigated whenever the economy is in dire straits. But it seems from the results for the European Parliament, and from those of the general elections in Germany, that the Europeans are skeptical of the Socialist and do not think that Socialism offers a credible alternative to the financial and economic crisis. Thus they put their faith in centre right governments, where the majority are opting for a social-market economy.
What effect will these results have on the new EU Commission? It looks that at best there will be only six Socialist Commissioners in the EU Commission. This is because Portugal’s commission – which last Sunday re-elected a Socialist government but with a reduced majority – is Barrosso who hails from the European Popular Party. This vast majority of centre and right of centre commissions will surely leave their mark on the Commission and its policies.
The Italian La Stampa in an article on Monday September 28 declared Ue, socialisti a rischio estinzione (European Union, Socialist risk extinction). I do not think that socialism in Europe will become extinct, but Socialist parties have to do a lot of soul searching if they want to be again credible and electable.
Joe M. Zahra
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