![]() The rank and file may not like it, but the policy differences between the SPD and the conservatives are nowhere near as apparent as in the previous century. ![]() It's no accident that SPD, having already gotten used to life in the middle, has been willing to serve as junior coalition partners to the CDU-CSU for two-thirds of Merkel's tenure. When he narrowly lost the 2005 election to Merkel, the SPD looked more than a little lost itself. If the CDU-CSU has squatted down in the mainstream and refused to budge, where does that leave Germany's oldest party, the Social Democrats? The SPD has been trying to answer that very question for over a decade and has seen support dwindling.įrom 1998 to 2005, former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder realigned what had historically been a working-class party with strong trade union ties toward the amorphous political center, chiefly by passing reforms that cut state benefits programs in favor of fiscal solidity. The Social Democrats (SPD): Democrats looking for a mission Thus, an American equivalent of the CDU-CSU would be the Republicans minus the (admittedly quite numerous) populists and religious hardliners plus the more conservative faction of the Democratic Party. Such moderation doesn't sit well with all members of her party, but there's no question about who is in charge. Despite a few differeing stances, her relationship with Joe Biden hearkens back to the age of Obama, especially in a post-Trump era in which transatlantic leaders are largely looking to paint a picture of centrist harmony. Indeed, you'd be hard-pressed to find many points of disagreement between the pragmatic Merkel and Barack Obama - which is why they got along so swimmingly, whereas the chancellor's distaste for his successor Donald Trump was palpably obvious. There's no question who's boss of Germany's conservatives Image: picture-alliance/SvenSimon The party may, for instance, favor slightly more tax relief or a slightly tougher stance on migrants than its main rival, the SPD, but there's hardly anything in the party platform that would qualify as particularly right-wing by American standards. If there's such a thing as extreme centrism, it's the CDU-CSU under Merkel. Despite the word "Christian" in party monikers, no one here calls for creationism to be taught in schools, even if the CSU in largely Catholic Bavaria does want to keep crucifixes on classroom walls. The CDU-CSU: Centrism taken to the extremeĪngela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, are collectively referred to as the "conservatives," but they're very different from Republicans in the United States. As is illustrated by Germany's biggest party. That, together with the fact that the political mainstream is much further to the left, explains why German and US parties don't line up in neat little pairs. Unlike in the US, where you're left out in the cold if you don't pitch a big enough tent, parties in Germany's parliamentary system can appeal to relatively cozy clienteles and still have a say. Please visit first thing you'll notice when you compare American and German political parties is that there are more of them that matter in the latter country. This quiz is copyright property of Ducksters and TSI. What political party did George Washington belong to?Ībout this quiz: All the questions on this quiz are based on information that can be found on the US Government - Two Party System page at /history/us_government/two-party_system.php. Which party is considered 'right wing'?ġ0. Which of the following parties once had a position of power in the U.S. Which of the following words is often used to describe members of the Republican Party?ħ. Which of the two main parties is associated with bigger government and higher taxes?Ħ. What is the symbol of the Republican Party?ĥ. What is the symbol of the Democratic Party?Ĥ. What is the election called where the parties select their candidates?ģ. What are the two most powerful political parties in the United States?Ģ. Questions on this quiz are based on information fromġ.
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