New alliances in Germany

A new political model could be in the making for Germany, after parliamentary elections in the states of Hesse and Hamburg. In both cases, none of the incumbent parties managed to secure an absolute majority, while the Left Party cleared the five percent threshold to enter parliament in both states. Birgit Baumann comments: "It used to be that you could only discuss this on the aside, but now the CDU is ready to talk about a coalition with the Greens. And on Monday, by opening the door to the Left Party, the SPD carried out the very step so eagerly awaited by party chief Kurt Beck. ... But in principle it is right that both SPD and CDU seek new partners in the states. Anyone who constantly says he no longer wants a grand coalition should come up with an alternative instead of constantly blabbing about it. But it is embarrassing if new party alliances are merely slapped together as a means of holding on to power. No one talks these days about shared goals anyway."

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