Duelling leaders each insist on heading coalition
Partnership scenarios emerge as Schroeder, Merkel claim mandate
BERLIN • Gerhard Schroeder and Angela Merkel were locked in a vicious struggle for political supremacy yesterday as both insisted they were Germany’s rightful leader after Sunday’s knife-edge election.
Their furious fight for the chancellery provoked a flurry of letters and telephone calls between all parties as the horse-trading needed to build a credible coalition began.
Ms. Merkel appeared severely bruised by the poor showing of her conservative alliance of Christian Democrats and the Bavarian Christian Social Union ( CDU/CSU). While she narrowly secured a three-seat victory, the result was far short of the number needed for a ruling majority with her preferred partners, the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), and far from the easy victory expected just a few weeks ago.
Nonetheless she insisted that, as the strongest parliamentary grouping, the CDU/CSU should form the next government.
“ That is a clear mandate to govern,’’ she said. “ We have emerged as the strongest party.’’
Just a few days ago Ms. Merkel was tipped to become Germany’s first female leader, one charged with the daunting task of reducing an 11% unemployment rate and modernizing its troubled economy. But now her political future appears to be in the balance.
She is expected to ask the CDU/CSU today to re-elect her as its parliamentary group leader, in effect to give her its blessing before she enters coalition talks.
While expected to win the vote, the scientist from the former East Germany has many enemies within the party and was fiercely criticized yesterday over her campaign.
Mr. Schroeder, who called the election to earn fresh backing for his unpopular reforms, chose to keep a low profile yesterday, but not before dismissing any possibility of co-operating with Ms. Merkel in a “grand coalition.”
“ There will be no coalition under her leadership with my Social Democrats,’’ he said during a round-table discussion immediately after the first polls.
Glaring at his opponent across the table, he added: “ Apart from me, no one is in a position to form a stable government.’’
Franz Munterfering, the leader of the SPD, insisted yesterday Mr. Schroeder had won a “new mandate’’ to govern after seven years in power.
He argued that the SPD was “without a doubt the strongest party,” as the CDU/CSU is made up of two parties which according to the final results secured 27.8% and 7.4% respectively, against the SPD’s 34.3%.
The pro-business Free Democrats won 9.8%, the Left Party 8.7%, and the Greens 8.1%.
Three permutations for the political landscape emerged yesterday: a grand coalition between the SPD and the CDU/CSU, a “ Jamaica” coalition between the CDU, the FDP and the Greens, or a “traffic-light” coalition between the SPD, FDP and the Greens. The Jamaica scenario got its name from the colours of the three parties involved — black, yellow and green — the same as the island’s flag. The colours of the traffic-light coalition would be red, yellow and green.
Constitutional experts reckon neither Mr. Schroeder nor Ms. Merkel have the legal basis on which to form a government. They appealed to President Horst Kohler to intervene and, in the event of deadlock, decide who should be the next chancellor.
Since Mr. Schroeder has ruled out a grand coalition with Ms. Merkel as leader, one conceivable scenario is for the CDU/CSU to push her aside and form a government with his SPD, which he would lead. However two potential kingmakers, the Greens and the Free Democrats, increased the confusion by doubting whether they could work together in coalitions.
Mr. Schroeder might also try to forge a deal with the Free Democrats. The arrangement would keep Mr. Schroeder in power, but would require an alliance between his traditional leftists and Germany’s most free-market, anti-tax party.
Although Mr. Schroeder’s party was in disarray when he called the election, his success in pulling the SPD from the brink of disaster has improved his standing markedly.
In contrast, Ms. Merkel has lost much of her party’s support through her poor showing.