Rainbows in Berlin

19 Sep 2011 by Dave.

Berlin, that other potential capital of Europe has voted today, and Chancellor Merkel’s ConDem alliance has not done well. This follows the election of a Social Democrat led government in Denmark earlier this week. Is Northern Europe turning left? German Wave, aka Deutsche Welle reports the Berlin results here.

The Social Democrat Mayor looks likely to retain his position. The right-wing CDU/FDP alliance loose share, the FDP, a bit like Britain’s Liberals no longer have any representation; they failed to meet the threshold winning 1.8% of the vote, Die Linke loose share, it looks like the Greens have overtaken them, and the Pirate Party win seats with 8.5% of the poll;  this leave Klaus Wowereit, the SDP leader and Mayoral candidate with a choice as to his coalition partners.

The theory of committees suggests a smaller coalition with a secure majority is easier to manage and I am not an expert in the politics of the programmes of the contending parties, but I have some respect for Rick Valkfinge’s suggestion that the Pirates are today’s successors to the Reds and Greens. It’d be good, in my mind if they could create a rainbow alliance, and something we should consider in the UK!

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