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ELECTIONS IN
GERMANY
Angela Merkel after a hat trick
Aliana Nieves Quesada
THE Edward Snowden case sent shock
waves throughout the world. Reverberations were felt
in many countries in the context of his revelations
of U.S. government espionage activities on both
American citizens and theirs. Popular indignation
and political agitation prompted a series of threats
on the part of the White House directed at countries
where the former agent might seek refuge and even
endangered the life of the President of a sovereign
country. The repercussions of this crime of
illegally spying on citizens of all the nations
involved were evident. In all of them apart from
Germany.
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German
Chancellor Angela Merkel. |
It was made known in that country
that U.S. espionage agencies snooped on its citizens’
email accounts and cell phones with the full consent
of national security services and the majority of
German political parties, including the Christian
Democratic Union (CDU) headed by Chancellor Angela
Merkel.
Many hoped that the revelations
would have an effect on support for the government;
perhaps this will happen next time. At this time,
Germans are more concerned with figures than with
governmental respect for their civil rights. This
places Merkel in the position of favorite for the
federal elections scheduled for September 22.
Taking into account the economic
convulsions experienced in recent months in Western
Europe, it is not surprising that the good news
recently revealed by the German Federal Institute of
Statistics (DESTATIS), has put a smile on the faces
of many Germans and above all, Merkel’s. According
to the report, in the second quarter of this year,
the German economy registered a growth of 0.7% of
the GDP, a figure well above the 0.1% registered in
the first quarter.
This energetic upturn of the GDP is
principally due, DESTATIS states, to an increase in
internal private and public consumption and could
have direct repercussions on Germany’s European
economic partners and on the Eurozone as a whole.
In this way, according to national
survey published August 23, the head of government
has a solid advantage in relation to her rivals in
the electoral race, with which her third mandate
would seen virtually assured.
The Merkel coalition of the CDU and
the CSU (Christian Social Union of Bavaria) has a
voting intention of 42%, while the opposing
Democratic Social Party support has fallen to 25% in
relation to earlier surveys. The Green Party lost
one point, placing it at 12%; the Liberal Democratic
grouping, minority partners of the current
government coalition, barely obtained the 5%
necessary to enter Parliament.
Various experts have observed that
the current campaign lacks ideological content and
is more focused on an exchange of positions on
concrete aspects of internal realities, apart from
the customary promises and criticisms of the
opposition which take place in this kind of ritual.
German citizens are accustomed to this atmosphere
and do not perceive the need to opt for significant
change.
Recent surveys confirm that the
German population has rarely shown itself so
satisfied with the country’s political situation. So
much so that, according to the German media, only
17% of citizens consider that Snowden’s revelations
would influence their vote. Barely one month before
the elections, it would seem that only questions
from another galaxy would fire the spirit of voters
and change the German political situation. With feet
of lead and a cool head, the German Chancellor could
achieve her third term or hat trick.
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