German Ostriches
All traditional parties, including today's' mainstreamed Greens, have responded to the election results as if they were still only among themselves, by trying to ignore the new Left party. They have been trying to construct coalition scenarios in all variations of four, even briefly considering the perverse combination of the Greens joining the conservatives and Free Democrats in Government. All four parties were very quick to rule out talking with the Linke. SPD and Greens even refused to contemplate the possibility of forming a minority Government that would rely on being tolerated by the Linke. The Linke themselves do not appear interested in governing with or tolerating a SPD-Green coalition. But then, the idea of exploring the option has been blocked out of the minds of the SPD and Green party leaders and their self-righteous egos. Could such an option bring about much-needed progressive social change and equitable economic resurgence? The answer to this is anyone's guess. As SPD and Conservatives have now agreed on a spineless compromise with the Conservative leader in charge of the new Government, it seems that neither party believes such change is even called for. Apparently they prefer to take their chances with playing tag with untamed globalization.
Thus, it is not hard to foresee a continuation of inequality, social rollbacks, political alienation and missed opportunities for international solidarity and sustainable development, should Germany's leading political parties continue to brush off even the thought of alternatives. From the perspective of the "Gang of Four" parties (SPD, CDU/CSU, Greens and FDP) the election results are indecisive and possible seen as an annoying outcome, preventing them from fulfilling their partisan agendas. Probably these four parties will stick their heads in the ground like ostriches in order to maintain their own view and interpretation of political trends and of the daily concerns of ordinary voters. CDU/CSU and SPD have agreed to stick their bird heads into the same hole. In the real world above, things have changed and it is time for issues-driven politics to become agenda priorities. Issues such as global warming, social protection, labour rights, income security at home and aboard, the grave dangers of US-driven neo-imperial assault on democracy and upon peaceful and sustainable development continue to await being forcefully addressed. Shifting left, is the only direction for Germany to take, if it wishes to progress and promote progress nationally, in Europe and globally. But
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