Lessons of the Hessen state elections
October 30th, 2018A commentator in the leading pro-government daily thinks that the CDU is unlikely to regain its popularity as long as Chancellor Merkel runs the increasingly centrist party.
In Magyar Idők, László Szőcs interprets the Hessen state election results as the latest proof, of any were still needed, of the decline of the grand coalition parties. The pro-government commentator points out that throughout Germany, both the CDU/CSU and their coalition partner the SPD are losing steam. Szőcs blames the decline of the governing parties squarely on Chancellor Merkel. He suggests that her centrist politics have alienated conservative voters without attracting any left-leaning and liberal supporters. Szőcs suspects that the radical anti-immigrant AfD will receive even more votes in the Eastern German states. The SPD is also losing votes to the Green Party in urban centers. Szőcs thinks that unless Angela Merkel steps down, the CDU/CSU is unlikely to increase its support and return to what he call its ‘muscular Christian-Conservative ideology’.