Chancellor, until her chosen successor, perhaps, beating the term of former German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, who was a great friend of Sri Lanka.
by Victor Cherubim
The centre-left Social Democratic Party led by Olaf Scholz narrowly beat Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centre –right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union bloc led by Armin Laschet in last Sunday’s 26 September 2021 polls. But the winner will be none other than VdL (Von der Leyen) the President of the European Commission, originally handpicked by four terms (16 years) German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.
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| Former Chancellor Angela Merkel |
Angela Merkel as everyone knows has been and perhaps, is a steady hand at politics not only in Germany but all over Europe and the world. She had the ear of Presidents all over the world, President Putin, because she hailed from the Old East Germany, President Xi Jinping, because she made many lucrative trade deals with China, President Biden, because she somehow persuaded him not to block the Gazprom pipeline, President Macron of France and when she met Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in London she thanked him for the continued import of Germany’s automotive industry. She will still remain the German
Chancellor, until her chosen successor, perhaps, beating the term of former German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, who was a great friend of Sri Lanka.
The whole process of a chosen Chancellor could take weeks to months as Angela Merkel will remain as Caretaker at the helm of Germany until a power sharing deal is struck.
Whoever among the two candidates, Scholz or Laschet, who can command a majority of 379 out of the 756 seats in the Germany’s Parliament, the Bundestag will then be the chosen Chancellor.
Whoever it turns out to be the winner will have already spent several months haggling for the job, bogged down in compromises and will most probably preside over a three party coalition, made up of people who may even dislike each other.
The new German role
Everyone knows that after 16 years of Germany playing a key role in West / East relations and on the world stage, the new German role will rather be more subdued, but there is still the possibility of a difficult role especially in the row between Washington, Paris over AUKUS submarine deal and the fact that there is going to be a French Presidential election in the offing next year. But, it gives Berlin the chance to help heal the rift with their common enemy, China. With all of this going on Germany may end up much weaker than the position of the European Union.
But who could be the next Chancellor of Germany?
Scholz (63) would most probably become the fourth Post-War SPD Chancellor after Willy Brandt, Helmut Schmidt and Gerhard Schroeder- all Social Democrats.
Laschet (60) has signalled he is not ready to concede the race, though his supporters were rather subdued.
The Green’s Leader, Annalena Baerbock or Christian Lidner of the Free Democrats do not command the necessary majority to form a government other than being coalition partners.
Sri Lanka needs Germany for many reasons?
We need the German tourists more than any other country, because they are less obnoxious, wanting more to cherish our heritage, our fauna and flora.
We need Germany to be our benefactor to foster our trade with the European Union, at a very crucial period in our GSP.
We need Germany for the technical know-how, which we desperately need today?
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