Voters took it out on German Chancellor Angela Merkel in German regional elections on Sunday.
The anti-immigration, Eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) party beat all forecasts and is on track to record the best regional result of any German populist rightwing party since 1945. AfD secured seats in 3 state parliaments.
Before the refugee crisis, Merkel’s CDU/CSU party was projected to will all three regional elections on Sunday. Instead CDU/CSU may hang on to win one.
The Financial Times reports Angela Merkel Suffers Dramatic Setback in Regional Elections.
German chancellor Angela Merkel has suffered a dramatic setback as voters backed rightwing populist forces in regional elections that are being seen as a referendum on her contentious refugee policies.
The anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland party looked set to beat forecasts in all regions voting on Sunday — and score the biggest electoral success for the populist right since the rebirth of German democracy after the second world war. In Saxony-Anhalt it was on track to record the best regional result of any German populist rightwing party since 1945.
According to exit polls, the AfD won 23 per cent of the vote in the depressed eastern region of Saxony-Anhalt, where the radical right has long been active. But it also exceeded expectations in wealthy western Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, scoring 12.5 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively.
The AfD mobilised droves of former non-voters, boosting voter participation as high as 72 per cent, far above normal levels for regional polls — a sign of how deeply the refugee crisis is shaking Germany.
Celebrating her success, Frauke Petry, the AfD’s co-leader, said: “We have fundamental problems in Germany which have led to this election result.”
Ms Merkel’s CDU failed in its hopes of winning back power in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, two former bastions, and was left struggling to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt.
The social democrats, Ms Merkel’s coalition partners, who have strongly backed her refugee policies, fared even worse, being driven into fourth place behind the AfD, in Baden-Württemberg and Sachsen-Anhalt.
Even French president François Hollande, her most important EU ally, voiced concern at the weekend over a key aspect of the planned Turkey deal — visa liberalisation.
The arguments could multiply as Ms Merkel and other fellow leaders prepare for the next EU migration summit later this week.
If the predictions prove right, the AfD will now be represented in eight of Germany‘s 16 regional assemblies.
Pact With Devil May Unwind
Merkel’s self-serving refugee pact with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, de-facto dictator who just took over Turkey’s largest newspaper with a violent teargas raid by riot police, may now unwind.
For details, please see Needs of the “One”; Merkel’s Backstabbing; Devil Cheers.
At a minimum, Cyprus, France, and Spain all have strong objections over her backroom deal. This trouncing is sure to give other countries strong second thoughts.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy voiced his objections to Merkel’s deal with Erdogan the other day. Today, current French president Francois Hollande chimed in with his objections.
Well Deserved Abandonment
This was a well-deserved trouncing the Chancellor brought upon herself. Clearly The smart thing to do is distance oneself far away from Merkel on her inept handing of this crisis.
The biggest backers of Merkel’s refugee proposals is not her own party but rather the Social Democrats (SPD), her grand-coalition partner. They fell to fourth place, behind AfD, in two regions.
Merkel’s only saving grace is there may not be a CDU/CSU candidate strong enough or willing enough to challenge her in the next national elections.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
Compassion is wonderful but it must be tempered by wisdom. It is wonderful to feel compassion for stray cats but wisdom will tell you not to put all of them up in your apartment.
Compassion is wonderful but it must be tempered by wisdom. It is wonderful to feel compassion for stray cats but wisdom will tell you not to put all of them up in your apartment.
I love that – Well stated
Angela Merkel is slowly turning into a political burden not only inside Germany but also for Germany in its relations with European nations. A politically weak Germany will most likely lead to divisions within Europe… although right now it seems to have led to a unity against German policy.
3/12/16 Headline Zero Hedge: “Never Seen Anything Like This Before” – Sweden Stunned At “Unreal” Surge In Refugee Sex Attacks
Saw a Youtube video of a woman in Calais, speaking to a group about what the refugees had wrought in the community where she lives. Saw a map of Germany, with dots notating various refugee incidents occurring across the country.
“The AfD mobilised droves of former non-voters, boosting voter participation as high as 72 per cent, far above normal levels for regional polls”
It is not surprising. People are fearing for their safety in their own country.
Islam is absolutely NOT compatible with Western civilization. For example, as their numbers grow, devout Muslims living in the USA or in the EU, will demand SHARIA LAW. Sharia Law CONTROLS every aspect of CIVIL LAW and CRIMINAL LAW. Worst of all, Sharia Law treats women as the property/slaves of men.
With Trump we can now move to the final solution to this problem. They will be eliminated.
Für mich ist diese Schadenfreude.
The German’s, of course, have a word for the unbearably smug Merkel:
Backpfeifengesicht.
A face crying out for a fist.
Blacks cannot assimilate.
Muslims cannot assimilate.
Black Muslims cannot assimilate.
What is Mish talking about? Parties that want refugees got 80-90%.
Parties that don’t want refugees got 10-20%.
Sure. Although the numbers have gone from 100-0 to the present values. Also, the major parties get their votes due to other policy positions. Their support for mass refugee resettlement is not a core position; it can change.
Any changes may well be too late. We learn this week that 25% of French teenagers are Muslim.
The German people are finally starting to wake up before Merkel totally destroys their culture and homeland.
But I have a feeling that this won’t deter Merkel from her ultimate goal to muslimize Germany as she doesn’t take her orders from the German people. Her marching orders eminate from her owners in Brussels and Washington DC.