Oppositions with faces.
Via Breaking Blue and BOP News, a new poll reported in the Financial Times finds newly elected German chancellor Angela Merkel sitting on an 80% approval rating.
Matt Stoller ominously compares the situation to that in Canada (though, technically, we followed them to the right. Also, personally, Merkel has never struck me as anything like as objectionable as Harper).
My attention was drawn to this bit, though:
Analysts said Ms Merkel’s popularity could not be explained by the traditional “honeymoon” that greets any new government and that she seemed to be benefiting from a wave of optimism sweeping the country.
...Manfred Güllner, head of the Forsa polling group, told the FT that Ms Merkel’s remarkable climb was due to the peculiarity of her leading a “grand coalition” between the rival Christian and Social Democrats, the first such alliance since 1969.
“With the SPD in the coalition, Merkel has no counterweight at present, nobody with any format who can attack her head-on,” Mr Güllner said.
(capital-L) Liberals take note: Leaderless opposition parties suck. So, although this is a bit of a stretch, does mindless bipartisanship. See the Democrats circa 2001-2. See the post-Schroeder SPD, just another player in the "Grand Coalition". I (duh) like Paul Martin and Bill Graham* just fine, but the Libs should really try to have a new leader in place by early next spring.
* I wanted an excuse to link to this great article, in which the Liberals are sounding awesome and cohesive, the current leadership situation (in particular why Martin can't formally abdicate his position yet) is coherently explained, and the point is tangentially made that there is such a thing as a "Chretien-Martin Liberal" in the form of one Mr. Graham.
Matt Stoller ominously compares the situation to that in Canada (though, technically, we followed them to the right. Also, personally, Merkel has never struck me as anything like as objectionable as Harper).
My attention was drawn to this bit, though:
Analysts said Ms Merkel’s popularity could not be explained by the traditional “honeymoon” that greets any new government and that she seemed to be benefiting from a wave of optimism sweeping the country.
...Manfred Güllner, head of the Forsa polling group, told the FT that Ms Merkel’s remarkable climb was due to the peculiarity of her leading a “grand coalition” between the rival Christian and Social Democrats, the first such alliance since 1969.
“With the SPD in the coalition, Merkel has no counterweight at present, nobody with any format who can attack her head-on,” Mr Güllner said.
(capital-L) Liberals take note: Leaderless opposition parties suck. So, although this is a bit of a stretch, does mindless bipartisanship. See the Democrats circa 2001-2. See the post-Schroeder SPD, just another player in the "Grand Coalition". I (duh) like Paul Martin and Bill Graham* just fine, but the Libs should really try to have a new leader in place by early next spring.
* I wanted an excuse to link to this great article, in which the Liberals are sounding awesome and cohesive, the current leadership situation (in particular why Martin can't formally abdicate his position yet) is coherently explained, and the point is tangentially made that there is such a thing as a "Chretien-Martin Liberal" in the form of one Mr. Graham.
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