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Europe
Anti-war stand 'won't save Schröder again'
2003-01-26
The 1,000-strong crowd of party faithful packed into the Odeon theatre in Goslar rose in unison and burst into rapturous applause as Chancellor Gerhard Schröder reopened Germany's political battle with Britain and America over war against Iraq. "Don't count on Germany voting in favour of a resolution that would legitimise a war. Never again will there be a Germany of aggression," Mr Schröder told the election rally of Social Democrats (SPD) in his home state of Lower Saxony ahead of a ballot next Sunday.
I think that's the sort of sentiment Mike had in mind when he chose the graphic for his site. I think it's also the attitude he had in mind when he named his site "Cold Fury." My personal opinion is that we stood by the Germans, putting our troops forward against the Soviets. We guaranteed their freedom and did everything we could to foster it. And now they're peeing on our national leg...
The message delighted the rank and file who, sporting red party badges, had been bused in from across the region to see their leader in action. Their standing ovation turned into rhythmic applause that was only brought to a halt by a wave of the Chancellor's hand. Above him on stage the banner declared: "Politics for reality".
The "reality" is that the Germans are infidels just like we are, but they've never quite caught on to the idea of defending themselves. They went to one extreme under Kaiser Bill and then under Adolph, and now they've gone to the other extreme...
The depressing reality for the German leader is that the true reflection of public opinion came outside the hall, where hecklers gave vent to their anger by driving up in a van whose roof was mounted with a dummy in a Schröder rubber mask. Loudspeakers blasted out Germany's number one hit, The Tax Song, which satirises the Chancellor, before police moved them on. Indeed, if Mr Schröder was hoping to repeat the trick of last September, when his vehement anti-war line helped him to secure an unexpected second term, he seems set for disappointment in two key state elections. His policy on Iraq strikes a chord with the public: the latest polls show that 69 per cent of Germans favour his anti-war stance. They also predict, however, a humiliating defeat for Mr Schröder in elections in Lower Saxony, normally a Social Democrat stronghold, and neighbouring Hesse.
I guess you could say, "It's the economy, dummkopf!" That's until there's a crater where Branderburger Tor used to be, or downtown Frankfurt's heaped with gassed corpses...
At national level, Mr Schröder's party is trailing the opposition Christian Democrats by a remarkable 30 per cent, a poll said yesterday. His electoral woes mirror the country's economic plight: figures leaked to Bild newspaper show that unemployment rose this month to more than 4.5 million, the highest level for five years. Defeat in Lower Saxony would be particularly ignominious for Mr Schröder, as he has campaigned hard in the state that he ruled for eight years and where he still spends weekends. The unemployment rate of 10 per cent, the highest in western Germany, has hit his popularity hard.
Golly. That's too bad. Maybe he should spend more time on economics and leave the international relations to the grown ups...
"It looks dreadful for us," admitted a veteran Social Democrat supporter. "Voters are out to punish the government for raising taxes and failing to tackle unemployment." Defeat in both states would give the Christian Democrats the decisive say in all the main legislation presented to the upper house, the Bundesrat. That may force the Chancellor to form a grand coalition government with the conservatives or to call a new election.
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

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