The many colours of German coalitions
From “Jamaica” to “traffic light”, via “Kenya”
ASSEMBLING COALITIONS in Germany was once a simple affair. Power alternated between the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU, with its Bavarian ally, the CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD), with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) or Greens in support. Colourful names occasionally emerged for other governing arrangements: “Jamaica” for coalitions uniting the CDU, Greens and FDP—the parties’ colours match the island’s flag—or “traffic light” for the SPD, FDP and Greens. For years these exotic amalgams mainly fuelled the fever dreams of political scientists. More recently, political fragmentation and Germany’s federal system, in which 16 states churn through their own governments, have made them flesh.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “A green light for “traffic-light” coalitions”
Europe March 13th 2021
- A protracted swell of cases highlights Europe’s vaccine problems
- Italy’s new prime minister upends the country’s political parties
- After a year, Berlin’s experiment with rent control is a failure
- The many colours of German coalitions
- European censuses are being disrupted by covid-19
- Why leave the EU, when you can shape it instead?
From the March 13th 2021 edition
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