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| German elections: rainbow coalitions | German elections: rainbow coalitions |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| In Germany, coalition governments are formed when a single party doesn't manage to get an absolute majority at an election. The last time a party attained an absolute majority was in 1957. As a result, political parties are polygamists when it comes to parliamentary alliances and the federal election on 22 September presents a dizzying array of options, often with colourful shorthand. | In Germany, coalition governments are formed when a single party doesn't manage to get an absolute majority at an election. The last time a party attained an absolute majority was in 1957. As a result, political parties are polygamists when it comes to parliamentary alliances and the federal election on 22 September presents a dizzying array of options, often with colourful shorthand. |
| Tiger-duck coalition (black-yellow) | Tiger-duck coalition (black-yellow) |
| The first and most frequent coalition combination at national level in Germany. Black is the traditional colour of Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party, yellow that of the liberal FDP. The term "tiger-duck coalition" was coined at the 2009 TV debate between Merkel and her opponent Frank-Walter Steinmeier. It refers to the black-and-yellow striped wooden toy in a popular children's book by the author and illustrator Janosch. Merkel is currently in a tiger-duck coalition and claims to prefer things to stay that way, in spite of bust-ups with her junior partner over nuclear energy and eurozone bailouts. | The first and most frequent coalition combination at national level in Germany. Black is the traditional colour of Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party, yellow that of the liberal FDP. The term "tiger-duck coalition" was coined at the 2009 TV debate between Merkel and her opponent Frank-Walter Steinmeier. It refers to the black-and-yellow striped wooden toy in a popular children's book by the author and illustrator Janosch. Merkel is currently in a tiger-duck coalition and claims to prefer things to stay that way, in spite of bust-ups with her junior partner over nuclear energy and eurozone bailouts. |
| Track record: 10 coalitions at national level, lasting 19 years. 39 coalitions at regional level. | Track record: 10 coalitions at national level, lasting 19 years. 39 coalitions at regional level. |
| How much would they currently get: Between 44% (Insa) and 46% (GMS). The big question is whether the Liberals will manage to mount the 5% hurdle. In most of the latest polls they do – but only just. | How much would they currently get: Between 44% (Insa) and 46% (GMS). The big question is whether the Liberals will manage to mount the 5% hurdle. In most of the latest polls they do – but only just. |
| Trivia: The Liberals only adopted their yellow and blue colours in 1972, previously they had tended towards orange, like their British equivalent. | Trivia: The Liberals only adopted their yellow and blue colours in 1972, previously they had tended towards orange, like their British equivalent. |
| Grand coalition (red-black) | Grand coalition (red-black) |
| A coalition between the two most popular parties at an election, which is traditionally the Conservatives and Social Democrats at national level. Often associated with stasis and standstill, the option of a grand coalition is looking unusually likely – for the past year, polls have repeatedly shown it as the most popular option among voters. | A coalition between the two most popular parties at an election, which is traditionally the Conservatives and Social Democrats at national level. Often associated with stasis and standstill, the option of a grand coalition is looking unusually likely – for the past year, polls have repeatedly shown it as the most popular option among voters. |
| Track record: In postwar Germany, there have been two grand coalitions at national level, lasting nine years: one from 1966 to 1969, the second between 2005 and 2009. | Track record: In postwar Germany, there have been two grand coalitions at national level, lasting nine years: one from 1966 to 1969, the second between 2005 and 2009. |
| How much would they currently get: Between 63% (Forsa) and 67% (Infratest dimap) | How much would they currently get: Between 63% (Forsa) and 67% (Infratest dimap) |
| Trivia: There was a shortlived grand coalition in a newly democratised German Democratic Republic in March 1990, between the CDU-led Alliance for Germany, the Social Democratic party (SPD) and the Liberals. The government spokesperson at the time was a young woman called … Angela Merkel. | Trivia: There was a shortlived grand coalition in a newly democratised German Democratic Republic in March 1990, between the CDU-led Alliance for Germany, the Social Democratic party (SPD) and the Liberals. The government spokesperson at the time was a young woman called … Angela Merkel. |
| Red-green | Red-green |
| A coalition between the SPD and the Green party. Opposition candidate Peer Steinbrück's favourite option still evokes teary-eyed memories of the swashbuckling 90s, in which Social Democrat Gerhard Schröder served as chancellor and Green Joschka Fischer as foreign minister. | |
| Track record: Two successive coalition governments at national level, lasting seven years. | Track record: Two successive coalition governments at national level, lasting seven years. |
| How much would they currently get: Between 34% (Forsa) and 39% (Insa) | How much would they currently get: Between 34% (Forsa) and 39% (Insa) |
| Trivia: Since 2011, Baden-Württemberg has had a green-red coalition, with the Greens as the majority partner. | Trivia: Since 2011, Baden-Württemberg has had a green-red coalition, with the Greens as the majority partner. |
| Red-red | Red-red |
| A coalition between the Social Democrats and the leftwing Die Linke, which was formed as a merger of the post-communist Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and an SPD breakaway group. | A coalition between the Social Democrats and the leftwing Die Linke, which was formed as a merger of the post-communist Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and an SPD breakaway group. |
| Track record: No coalitions at national level, but three coalitions at regional level, in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. | Track record: No coalitions at national level, but three coalitions at regional level, in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. |
| How much would they currently get: Between 31.5% (Allensbach) and 34% (Insa) | How much would they currently get: Between 31.5% (Allensbach) and 34% (Insa) |
| Trivia: In the past, when the Social Democrats have not been able to form majority governments at regional level, Die Linke/PDS has tolerated a minority SPD-Greens coalition without forming a part of it: this is also known as the "Magdeburg model". | Trivia: In the past, when the Social Democrats have not been able to form majority governments at regional level, Die Linke/PDS has tolerated a minority SPD-Greens coalition without forming a part of it: this is also known as the "Magdeburg model". |
| Lebanon coalition (red-green-red) | Lebanon coalition (red-green-red) |
| A coalition between the SPD, the Greens and Die Linke – the name refers to the colours of the Lebanese flag. | |
| Track record: No track record at either national or regional level, but increasingly discussed over the past five years, in Thuringia, Saarland and North-Rhine Westphalia. | Track record: No track record at either national or regional level, but increasingly discussed over the past five years, in Thuringia, Saarland and North-Rhine Westphalia. |
| How much would it get: Between 45% (Allensbach) and 47% (Insa) | How much would it get: Between 45% (Allensbach) and 47% (Insa) |
| Trivia: At the national election in 2005, red-green-red would theoretically have had an absolute majority, with 327 seats, but since politicians from all sides had previously ruled out such a solution, it never happened. | Trivia: At the national election in 2005, red-green-red would theoretically have had an absolute majority, with 327 seats, but since politicians from all sides had previously ruled out such a solution, it never happened. |
| Pizza connection (Green-black) | Pizza connection (Green-black) |
| A coalition between the CDU and the Greens. Named after a series of informal meetings between young members of the seemingly ideologically opposed parties in a Bonn pizzeria in the 90s. Many who attended those meetings have since gone on to hold key posts in their party, such as chairman Cem Özdemir or the environment minister, Peter Altmaier. | |
| Track record: One coalition at regional level: Hamburg 2008-2010 | Track record: One coalition at regional level: Hamburg 2008-2010 |
| How much would they get: Between 50% (Emnid) and 53% (GMS) | How much would they get: Between 50% (Emnid) and 53% (GMS) |
| Trivia: In her book, My Way, Merkel ruled out a red-green coalition "in this century". | Trivia: In her book, My Way, Merkel ruled out a red-green coalition "in this century". |
| Jamaica coalition (black-yellow-green) | Jamaica coalition (black-yellow-green) |
| A coalition between the CDU, the Free Democratic party and the Green party, named after the Jamaican flag. | A coalition between the CDU, the Free Democratic party and the Green party, named after the Jamaican flag. |
| Track record: One coalition in Saarland, Germany's smallest region, in 2009 | Track record: One coalition in Saarland, Germany's smallest region, in 2009 |
| How much would they get: Between 56% (Emnid) and 59% (GMS) | How much would they get: Between 56% (Emnid) and 59% (GMS) |
| Trivia: The Jamaica coalition is also known as a Schwampel Koalition, which is a portmanteau for Schwarze Ampel, "black traffic light" (see below). | Trivia: The Jamaica coalition is also known as a Schwampel Koalition, which is a portmanteau for Schwarze Ampel, "black traffic light" (see below). |
| Traffic light (red-yellow-green) | Traffic light (red-yellow-green) |
| A coalition between the SPD, the FDP and the Greens. Seen by many as the only realistic option for Steinbrück to become chancellor. | |
| Track record: Two at regional level, in Brandenburg and Bremen, several at communal level: there are traffic light coalitions in Bielefeld, Mönchengladbach, Remscheid, Mainz and Trier | Track record: Two at regional level, in Brandenburg and Bremen, several at communal level: there are traffic light coalitions in Bielefeld, Mönchengladbach, Remscheid, Mainz and Trier |
| How much would they get: 45% (Allensbach) | How much would they get: 45% (Allensbach) |
| Trivia: The Green politician Jürgen Trittin has suggested calling this a "Senegal Coalition" – the Senegalese flag has a green star in the centre | Trivia: The Green politician Jürgen Trittin has suggested calling this a "Senegal Coalition" – the Senegalese flag has a green star in the centre |
| Social-liberal coalition (Red-yellow) | Social-liberal coalition (Red-yellow) |
| A coalition between the SPD and the FDP. | A coalition between the SPD and the FDP. |
| Track record: More common before the rise of the Green party: there have been two at national level, under Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt, lasting 14 years. Twenty-six coalitions at regional level. | Track record: More common before the rise of the Green party: there have been two at national level, under Willy Brandt and Helmut Schmidt, lasting 14 years. Twenty-six coalitions at regional level. |
| How much would they currently get: Between 28% (Forsa) and 32% (Forschungsgruppe Wahlen) | How much would they currently get: Between 28% (Forsa) and 32% (Forschungsgruppe Wahlen) |
| Trivia: The first social-liberal coalition at regional level came about as an emergency measure in 1956, when Konrad Adenauer wanted to introduce a majority vote that would have made the Liberals redundant. They promptly dissolved the coalition with Adenauer's party and entered a regional coalition with the SPD, which robbed Adenauer's government of a majority. | Trivia: The first social-liberal coalition at regional level came about as an emergency measure in 1956, when Konrad Adenauer wanted to introduce a majority vote that would have made the Liberals redundant. They promptly dissolved the coalition with Adenauer's party and entered a regional coalition with the SPD, which robbed Adenauer's government of a majority. |
| Danish traffic light (red-green-blue) | Danish traffic light (red-green-blue) |
| A coalition with no track record and no likely future, but a nice name. The FDP is replaced by the SSW, the South-Schleswig Voters Union, which represents Danish and Frisian minorities in Schleswig Holstein. | |
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