The resignation of Social Democrat leader Andrea Nahles makes early elections in Germany more likely. But both the CDU and the SPD should avoid any hasty decisions, says DW Editor-in-Chief Ines Pohl.
Neither party currently has the stability necessary to take on the real responsibility of leadership. This is true with regard to both their policies and their personnel.
Ines Pohl is DW's editor-in-chiefImage: DW/P. Böll
CDU: Old, worn-out
First, the Christian Democratic Union: Since Merkel stepped down as party leader after the CDU made a poor showing at state elections, the political infighting in her party has careered out of control.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the new party leader and Merkel's potential successor, cuts a rather unfortunate figure. Her pandering to the most right-wing elements of the conservative CDU/CSU bloc during the European election campaign did not benefit the party — indeed, quite the opposite.
And the public relations disaster that she triggered by slamming a YouTuber who had criticized her party in a widely seen video was even more serious. Here, too, her attempt to display toughness by calling for stricter regulation of the internet backfired completely. She did not damage just her own image but that of the entire party, making it seem old, worn-out — anything but fit for the future.
SPD: Looking for its place
For the Social Democrats, the situation is even more complicated. For six years, the party has been the junior partner in the "grand coalition" and unable to counter the chancellor's clever maneuvers with ones of its own. Whether minimum wage or child care: Merkel has always succeeded in taking the political credit for nearly all the reforms initiated by the SPD.
Rather than coming up with its own policies and solving the fundamental problem of finding a place for itself in the German party landscape, the SPD has indulged in infighting and constant leadership changes.
And now the current SPD leader is to step down from both her positions. This means anything is possible. The SPD has reached such a low point that many are simply calling for an end to the horror known as the "grand coalition," no matter the cost.
No hasty decisions
But that is dangerous. What if early parliamentary elections were actually to take place this year? Neither the SPD nor the conservatives have convincing figures at the top. Neither party has an election platform robust enough to address the concerns of German citizens. The issue of climate protection is just one of those concerns, even if it's currently the loudest.
At the moment, Germany is standing on firm democratic footing. Even if fresh elections were to be called, there is no danger of right-wing nationalists or populists winning governing majorities. That's the good news in these turbulent times.
Germany's role in the world
In view of the important role Germany has to play in the world, however, infighting and party intrigue must not be allowed to determine what happens in the coming days. Both the SPD and the CDU would be well-advised to take their time, draw the right consequences and not shoot from the hip.
For now, Germany can stay politically stable and remain a reliable partner for its international allies only if those in charge think about the future political consequences — and not just about keeping political power in the present.
A history of Germany's coalition governments
Only once has federal Germany been ruled by a single party with a parliamentary majority. Coalitions are therefore the norm. DW looks at the various governing combinations that have presided in the Bundestag.
Image: Reuters
CDU/CSU - FDP - DP (1949-1957)
The first democratic government to rule West Germany since the end of World War II saw Christian Democratic Union leader Konrad Adenauer form a governing coalition with the Free Democrats and the German Party (a now-defunct national conservative party). When Adenauer's conservatives won re-election four years later, he once again turned to the same coalition partners.
Image: picture-alliance/Vack
CDU/CSU - FDP (1961-1966)
After four years of ruling West Germany on their own between 1957 and 1961, the conservative Union lost their majority in the Bundestag and were forced to enter into coalition with the Free Democrats again. Adenauer resigned in 1963 for his part in the so-called "Spiegel" scandal. His Minister of Economic Affairs Ludwig Erhard (left) was elected by parliament to take over
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
CDU/CSU - SPD (1966-1969)
The first ever "grand coalition" was not the product of an election. Ludwig Erhart was re-elected in 1965 and continued to rule alongside the FDP. However, the following year the Free Democrats left the government over budget disputes. Erhart also resigned and Kurt Kiesinger (right) was chosen to take over. With the FDP out, he governed with the Social Democrats, led by Willy Brandt (left).
Image: dpa
SPD - FDP (1969-1982)
Willy Brandt became Germany's first Social Democratic chancellor in the post-war period. Despite winning fewer votes than the CDU/CSU, Brandt struck a deal with the FDP to give them a narrow majority in the Bundestag. It wouldn't be the last time the liberals would be called out for a perceived lack of loyalty. In 1974, Brandt was replaced by Helmut Schimdt, who went on to win two more elections.
Image: picture-alliance/akg-images
CDU/CSU - FDP (1982-1998)
The 13-year friendship between the SPD and FDP ended in 1980 as the two parties' differing ideologies became irreconcilable. The liberals again switched sides that year, dropping out of the coalition and seeking a deal with the conservatives. That caused the SPD-led government to collapse and a reborn CDU/CSU-FDP coalition formed under the leadership of Helmut Kohl (pictured).
Image: AP
CDU - DSU - Democratic Awakening (1990)
Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany held its first ever elections. The Christian Democrats under Lothar de Maiziere took over 40 percent of the vote. They went into coalition with two small parties: German Social Union and Democratic Awakening, whose members included one Angela Merkel. In October that year, the government signed the reunification treaty with West Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Wolfgang Kumm
SPD - Green Party (1998-2005)
In 2002, Helmut Kohl's 16-year rule came to an end and the Social Democrats under Gerhard Schröder returned to power. The SPD formed a coalition with the Green party, who became a governing party less than 20 years after being founded. Unlike under Brandt, the SPD now led a left-wing government, rather than a center-left coalition. The SPD-Green party coalition remained in power until 2005.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/W. Baum
CDU/CSU - SPD (2005-2009)
"Grand coalitions" do not come easily. When the first exit polls came in, both Schröder (right) and Angela Merkel (left) declared themselves the winner. In the end, Merkel's conservatives defeated the SPD by just 1 percent. Germany's two largest parties agreed to form the country's second-ever grand coalition.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/F. Bensch
CDU/CSU - FDP (2009-2013)
The "grand coalition" experiment ended in 2009, after the SPD picked up a disappointing 23 percent in the federal elections. The Free Democrats, by contrast, gained almost 5 percent to give them over 14 percent of the vote. Merkel and the FDP's Guido Westerwelle (left) formed a coalition with relative ease. It was, after all, Germany's 11th CDU/CSU-FDP government.
Image: Getty Images/A. Rentz
CDU/CSU - SPD (2013-?)
After taking more than 40 percent of the vote, Merkel's conservatives probably weren't expecting to rule with the SPD. But with her old allies the FDP failing to meet the 5 percent threshold to enter the Bundestag, options were limited. Merkel called on the SPD to join her and "take on the responsibility to build a stable government." She made the same speech again four years later.
