BBC: Schröder bruised but determined
Not surprisingly, the BBC correspondent tells the same story better - by now. :-). However, the central importance of Frau Merkels change in dialect seems to surpass him ... MNI.
Schröder bruised but determined
news.bbc.co.uk
By Berlin correspondent Rob Broomby
It is normal for governments to do badly at the polls
between general elections.
By-elections, state and local elections are often handy
occasions for voters to express their mild displeasure at
what the government is doing, without ousting them.
But it was a bad night for Chancellor Schröder.
His defeat in the state of Saarland and eastern state of
Brandenberg shows just how disillusioned the German
electorate is with the leader.
Conceding outright defeat in Saarland and loss of overall
control in Brandenburg - both SDP strongholds - the
chancellor pledged to push ahead with his reform
programme.
He said: "I'm disappointed and saddened by these
results, but you shouldn't confuse that with a lack of will
to fight."
In Brandenburg, where the SPD saw its share of the vote
plunge by 15%, it is facing a coalition government.
Coalition
It now has to choose between doing a deal with the
Christian Democrats, or working with the former
Communist PDS, which Chancellor Schröder is
expected to lobby against.
But the eastern Länder like to show their independence,
and a red-red coalition can't be ruled out.
Brandenburg's Minister
President, Manfred Stolpe,
says his heart beats to the
Left, but there is room for
discussion.
Chancellor Schröder believes
the internal rows have
confused the voters.
But for some traditional
Social Democrats, the party
is losing its principles.
At issue has been the Finance Minister Hans Eichel's
austerity budget, which aims to slash DM30bn from the
National Debt.
These policies however are beginning to win over
business leaders, who see the need for sound finance.
Alienation
But party treasurer, Inge Wettig-Danielmeier, a Schröder
loyalist, concedes they have alienated their core
support.
But the defeat for the SPD's Minister President in
Saarland, Reinhard Klimmt, an outspoken critic of Herr
Schröder, could ironically offer the chance for some
consolation.
In recent months, Herr Klimmt, a friend and ally of the
former Finance Minister Oskar Lafontaine, has become a
self-styled leader of the German Left.
He accuses the chancellor of abandoning the party's
commitment to social justice.
Some commentators say Mr Klimmt's defeat has
removed a thorn in Chancellor Schröder's side.
Improving discipline
The results have been hugely disappointing for the
chancellor, yet they could have gone some way to
banishing the ghost of Oskar Lafontaine, still lurking in
the wings.
Behind the scenes, the chancellor is getting to grips with
his party. He's seeking to manoeuvre Transport Minister
Franz Muentefering into a new post of SPD General
Secretary.
A Schröder loyalist, his task will be to improve discipline
and co-ordinate the party in the run-up to the next
General Election.
But with three more state elections in the weeks to
come, some commentators predict things are likely to
get worse for the government before they improve.
Chancellor Schröder is finding support in unusual places.
Helmut Kohl's trusty Foreign Minister, Hans Dietrich
Genscher of the Liberal Free Democrats, has called
upon his party to support Schröder's reforms.
The political landscape is changing, but rather too
quickly for many traditional SPD voters. |
