Sunday, November 10, 2024

11 Nov 2024: Six German News Stories

 1.  Meeting between the CDU Party and the German Federal Election Commissioner?   Party demanded the meeting (will occur either Mon or Tues)....after the Commissioner said the 'system' could not arrange a national vote within 30 days....citing some paper supply problem.  

After hearing the comment....German paper association (representing all the companies)....said it was BS. It's NOT special paper....just recycled low-grade paper.   There should be tons of the stuff laying around.  All you need is the state listing or the parties printed on it.

2.  The way that a fed election occurs?  No-Confidence vote is held....majority says to collapse the gov't.  Next day, with results...Chancellor would go to the President, and report his anticipated date of the election.  It is NOT written into stone  about timing....but generally you allow two months to campaign.  

Immediately, the parties (not just the top seven, but the remaining 30  odd-ball parties as well....would have a meeting. Each would determine their Chancellor candidate, and write down 20 to 30 'promises' for their platform.

The platform? This is the serious part of the election....the key things they talk about.   In the 1930s....for the Nazis....one key promise was to halt under-age work (meaning they didn't want 12-year-old kids in a factory).  

The campaign then starts,  with signs and posters.  Public TV and radio gives free time for each party (even the 30-small parties).

At your local level, there are planning episodes to occur....where the city clerk appoints people to run the polling station, and be 'counters'.  

3.  Focus article from the weekend talked about a serious escalation of violence in the drug-war within  Hamburg....cops now worried about where this is going.

4.  I went to 'Alter Weiss Mann' (the movie) this past weekend.  I highly recommend the movie.....centers on all aspects of 'WOKE'. If you don't understand the concept.....it'll detail every piece of it.  German production....I give it 5-stars.

Shocker?  14.50 Euro per seat at the kino.  With pop-corn  and soda,  with parking  fee....Around 45 Euro spent on a couple....damn expensive.

5.  News interview with the Berlin city-election manager....serious amount of warning.....how they mismanaged the last fed election and  that they really need more than two months of 'warning' and preparation.   History to that election? Court system forced them to repeat it (year later).

6.  Based on weekend chatter....I think the no-confidence vote will occur before 1 December, but the national vote itself won't happen until mid-to-late Feb.  I also don't think it's helping the SPD Party much in delaying the process.  The amount of dislike/frustration with Chancellor Scholz....is readily apparent (three-quarters of polled Germans want him  gone).

Another factor....party platforms have NOT been determined. You can't just suddenly 'pop' these out of thin air.

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