Much at stake for New Zealand as Germany heads to the polls
From a distance, the big news about Germany’s election on Monday is the end of Angela Merkel’s reign after 16 years of leadership. Closer up, the picture is far more complex.
Seemingly on track for a clear victory until February, the prospects of Merkel’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU) have waned, as first the Greens and then the Social Democrats (SPD) narrowly topped volatile polls.
Merkel’s successor will be determined by the politics of coalition formation in an arrangement familiar to New Zealanders — Germany having provided the model for our own MMP system.
With another CDU/CSU-SPD grand coalition ruled out, the most likely outcome will see one of those parties leading a government comprising the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).
A large undecided vote
In an unpredictable campaign dominated by missteps rather than policies, the fortunes of the CDU/ CSU’s Armin Laschet, the SPD’s Olaf Scholz and the Greens’ Annalena Baerbock – have ebbed and flowed.
Caught guffawing during the German president’s remarks to victims of the July floods, alongside accusations of plagiarism, Laschet has seen his party’s support plummet to the lowest-ever polled.
Meanwhile, Baerbock’s aggressive response to her own charges of plagiarism, combined with a failure to declare income, have raised concerns about her personal credibility.
In contrast, stands Scholz. The only candidate with federal executive experience, including currently as minister of finance and vice-chancellor in the CDU/CSUSPD grand coalition, Scholz was initially welcomed with little fanfare.
However, his leadership during the pandemic (dispensing billions of euros in support), coupled with the absence of gaffes, has seen his personal popularity rise. In preferred chancellor polls, Scholz now leads on 40 pere cent, with Laschet on 19 per cent, and Baerbock on 13 per cent.
Soberingly, this close to the election, 28 per cent still “don’t know”.
Business as usual?
In an election devoid of real policy debate, it is difficult to say how the result will change Germany.
The answer may be “probably not much” if Laschet or Scholz gain the chancellery, with both in various
ways casting themselves as continuity candidates.
But a strengthened Greens voice in any coalition will have an impact.
From a New Zealand perspective, there are three areas of interest: European integration, foreign policy and climate change. One way or another, each will affect the world beyond Germany.
European integration
Germany is at the heart of Europe, and Merkel’s tenure has been important to the union.
Taking office during the disarray
following the collapse of the EU’s constitutional project, Merkel’s approach to integration was shorn of grand ambition. Instead, she has focused on stability and incremental reform in the face of subsequent crises.
But the EU requires more than ad hoc incrementalism. It is increasingly difficult to reconcile the union’s significant economic footprint with its lack of foreign policy clout. The role of the new chancellor in shaping European integration cannot be underestimated.
Aside from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), all parties standing are pro-European and all envision reforms to strengthen integration. For New Zealand, with US-China tensions threatening to spill over in unpredictable ways, a strong EU is essential to maintaining a stable and rules-based international order.
This is particularly significant for a small trading power like New Zealand, dependent on the predictability and enforceability of global rules.
Climate change
Carbon neutrality is central to the platforms of the main parties, though differences exist on how to achieve this.
Germany’s approach will cause ripples beyond its borders, playing as it does a key role in defining EU policy, including the union’s expectations of trading partners such as New Zealand.
Foreign policy
There is also significant pressure for Germany to play a stronger global role to match its economic weight. This includes a more robust approach to powers such as China.
Trade relations under Merkel were a priority. Separated from more contentious issues, it was an approach that pleased her Chinese counterparts. But complications darken the horizon: the EU has defined China as a “systemic rival”, and there have been calls for Germany to more actively confront Chinese assertiveness.
Developments in the Indo-Pacific are critical to New Zealand. A more engaged Germany would be welcomed.
A CDU-CSU victory is unlikely to see significant change, however.
The party continues to prioritise trade in its relationships, and Laschet has made dubious foreign policy statements, raising questions as to what he would bring to the global stage.
The SPD is conservative, aiming to avoid foreign conflicts. An emphasis on economic and trade policy is important for New Zealand, as negotiations for a free trade agreement with the EU wind down.
Regardless of the outcome, New Zealand should continue to count Germany as an important friend in the EU. With Britain’s withdrawal in 2020, the relationship with
Germany is more valuable than ever.
Serena Kelly is a senior lecturer, ● national centre for research on Europe, University of Canterbury
Mathew Doidge is a Senior ● Research Fellow, University of Canterbury
The Conversation