Bremen Election Results Could Have National Repercussions
It might be Germany's smallest state with a population of less than 700,000, but the make-up of Bremen's new government could curb the ability of Angela Merkel's coalition to continue with planned reforms.
The Social Democrats (SPD) and Christian Democrats (CDU) have ruled the small northern city-state of Bremen in a coalition for the past 12 years. But after winning state elections on Sunday with 36.8 percent, the SPD is now flirting with the idea of ditching their previous coalition partners to rule together with the Greens, who made their best-ever showing in a German state poll with 16.4 percent. Bremen's state SPD leadership is to hold talks later on Wednesday with the CDU, which polled 25.7 percent. After an SPD meeting in Bremen, Mayor Jens Böhrnsen made the first signal he could be favoring the Greens. He said that during the campaign he had deliberately abstained from mentioning the possibility of a renewed CDU coalition because "after 12 years it shouldn't automatically be continued." Bremen's acting head of government and CDU member Thomas Röwekamp, however, warned against an SPD-Green coalition. "The majority of people don't want a red-green experiment, but a continuation of the grand coalition," he said. Both the SPD and CDU conceded heavy losses in the election, which showed a swing towards the Greens and the Left Party, which scored an unexpected 8.4 percent to win representation in a western German state legislature for the first time in its brief history. Block reforms? If Bremen's SPD decide in favor of the Greens, this would affect the ability of Chancellor Angela Merkel's grand coalition of CDU and SPD to push ahead with reforms requiring constitutional changes, such as stage two of Germany's urgently needed federalism reform. The federal Bundesrat, which is made up of state cabinet members, has to approve the majority of legislative bills passed by the lower chamber, the Bundestag, before they become law. Also, any proposed constitutional changes require two-thirds of all votes in order to be passed by the Bundesrat. The CDU and SPD currently hold 47 of the Bundesrat's 69 seats, which is one seat more than the necessary two-thirds majority. But without Bremen, the number held by the grand coalition would fall to 44 seats, meaning they would need the cooperation of one of the small opposition parties for any constitutional changes. Internal strife Earlier in the week, Chancellor Merkel called for unity within her ruling left-right coalition after the losses in Bremen set the stage for more infighting between the two parties. Merkel also warned the SPD against moving to the left after it lost some five percent points. The chancellor said the outcome showed the SPD had made a mistake by attacking the coalition and campaigning on promises of a minimum wage, which she believes will hamper efforts to fight unemployment of just under 10 percent. "The result showed that this strategy did not pay off," Merkel told a press conference.
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Germany
Germany Germany_national_football_team Nazi_Germany German_Empire Germany_women's_national_football_team Weimar_Republic German_Football_Association ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Germany GfK_Entertainment_Charts Germany_national_youth_football_team A1_Team_Germany Germany_national_rugby_union_team Kingdom_of_Germany German_literature Germany_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Same-sex_marriage_in_Germany
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Angela Merkel
Angela_Merkel
Social Democrats
Swedish_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democrats_(Denmark) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Social_democracy Social_Democrats_(Slovenia) Czech_Social_Democratic_Party Social_Democrats_(Ireland) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Finland Social_Democrats Social_Democratic_Party_of_Austria Social_Democrats_of_Montenegro Social_Democratic_Party_of_Switzerland Social_Democratic_Party_(Romania) Social_Democratic_Party_of_Lithuania Romanian_Social_Democratic_Party_(1927–48) Social_Democratic_Party_(UK)
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Christian Democrats
Christian_Democrats_(Sweden) Christian_Democrats_(Finland) Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Christian_democracy Christian_Democratic_Party_(Norway) Christian_Democrats_(Denmark) Christian_Democratic_Party_(Australia) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Christian_Democratic_People's_Party_of_Switzerland Christian_Democratic_Party_(Chile) Christian_Democrat_Party_(New_Zealand) Christian_and_Democratic_Union_–_Czechoslovak_People's_Party Lithuanian_Christian_Democratic_Party Christen-Democratisch_en_Vlaams Rebirth_of_Christian_Democracy
CDU
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Unitary_Democratic_Coalition Christian_Democratic_Union_(East_Germany) United_Christian_Democrats C.D._Universidade_Agostinho_Neto_(basketball) CDU/CSU Christian_Democratic_Union_(Netherlands) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties CDU_Baden-Württemberg Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Charles_Darwin_University Christian_democracy
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Sunday
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Greens
Australian_Greens Alliance_90/The_Greens Greens_New_South_Wales Australian_Greens_Victoria Tasmanian_Greens Greens_Western_Australia Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand Green_Party_of_England_and_Wales Leaf_vegetable Green_politics Federation_of_the_Greens ACT_Greens The_Greens_–_The_Green_Alternative Queensland_Greens Greens_South_Australia Green_League
German
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Wednesday
CDU
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Unitary_Democratic_Coalition Christian_Democratic_Union_(East_Germany) United_Christian_Democrats C.D._Universidade_Agostinho_Neto_(basketball) CDU/CSU Christian_Democratic_Union_(Netherlands) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties CDU_Baden-Württemberg Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Charles_Darwin_University Christian_democracy
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Mayor
Jens Böhrnsen
Jens_Böhrnsen
Greens
Australian_Greens Alliance_90/The_Greens Greens_New_South_Wales Australian_Greens_Victoria Tasmanian_Greens Greens_Western_Australia Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand Green_Party_of_England_and_Wales Leaf_vegetable Green_politics Federation_of_the_Greens ACT_Greens The_Greens_–_The_Green_Alternative Queensland_Greens Greens_South_Australia Green_League
CDU
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Unitary_Democratic_Coalition Christian_Democratic_Union_(East_Germany) United_Christian_Democrats C.D._Universidade_Agostinho_Neto_(basketball) CDU/CSU Christian_Democratic_Union_(Netherlands) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties CDU_Baden-Württemberg Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Charles_Darwin_University Christian_democracy
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
CDU
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Unitary_Democratic_Coalition Christian_Democratic_Union_(East_Germany) United_Christian_Democrats C.D._Universidade_Agostinho_Neto_(basketball) CDU/CSU Christian_Democratic_Union_(Netherlands) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties CDU_Baden-Württemberg Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Charles_Darwin_University Christian_democracy
member
Thomas Röwekamp
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Green
Green Green_Party_of_the_United_States Green_Party_of_England_and_Wales Green_Party_of_Canada Green_politics Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand Green_County,_Wisconsin Scottish_Green_Party Green_(R.E.M._album) Draymond_Green Green_County,_Kentucky Alliance_90/The_Greens Green_sea_turtle Groen_(political_party) Environmentally_friendly Matt_Green_(footballer)
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
CDU
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Unitary_Democratic_Coalition Christian_Democratic_Union_(East_Germany) United_Christian_Democrats C.D._Universidade_Agostinho_Neto_(basketball) CDU/CSU Christian_Democratic_Union_(Netherlands) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties CDU_Baden-Württemberg Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Charles_Darwin_University Christian_democracy
Greens
Australian_Greens Alliance_90/The_Greens Greens_New_South_Wales Australian_Greens_Victoria Tasmanian_Greens Greens_Western_Australia Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand Green_Party_of_England_and_Wales Leaf_vegetable Green_politics Federation_of_the_Greens ACT_Greens The_Greens_–_The_Green_Alternative Queensland_Greens Greens_South_Australia Green_League
Left Party
Left_Party_(Sweden) The_Left_(Germany) Left_Party_(France) Left_Party_–_Zona_Franca Left_Party_(Hungary) Left_Party Socialist_Left_Party_(Norway)
German
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Greens
Australian_Greens Alliance_90/The_Greens Greens_New_South_Wales Australian_Greens_Victoria Tasmanian_Greens Greens_Western_Australia Green_Party_of_Aotearoa_New_Zealand Green_Party_of_England_and_Wales Leaf_vegetable Green_politics Federation_of_the_Greens ACT_Greens The_Greens_–_The_Green_Alternative Queensland_Greens Greens_South_Australia Green_League
Chancellor
Angela Merkel
Angela_Merkel
CDU
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Unitary_Democratic_Coalition Christian_Democratic_Union_(East_Germany) United_Christian_Democrats C.D._Universidade_Agostinho_Neto_(basketball) CDU/CSU Christian_Democratic_Union_(Netherlands) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties CDU_Baden-Württemberg Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Charles_Darwin_University Christian_democracy
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Germany
Germany Germany_national_football_team Nazi_Germany German_Empire Germany_women's_national_football_team Weimar_Republic German_Football_Association ISU_Junior_Grand_Prix_in_Germany GfK_Entertainment_Charts Germany_national_youth_football_team A1_Team_Germany Germany_national_rugby_union_team Kingdom_of_Germany German_literature Germany_men's_national_ice_hockey_team Same-sex_marriage_in_Germany
Bundesrat
Bundesrat_of_Germany Federal_Council_(Austria) Bundesrat_(German_Empire) Federal_Council_(Switzerland) Bundesrat
Bundestag
Bundestag Federal_Convention_(German_Confederation) Bundestag_(Berlin_U-Bahn) DFB-Bundestag Parliament First_German_Bundestag Politics_of_Germany West_German_federal_election,_1953
Bundesrat
Bundesrat_of_Germany Federal_Council_(Austria) Bundesrat_(German_Empire) Federal_Council_(Switzerland) Bundesrat
CDU
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany Unitary_Democratic_Coalition Christian_Democratic_Union_(East_Germany) United_Christian_Democrats C.D._Universidade_Agostinho_Neto_(basketball) CDU/CSU Christian_Democratic_Union_(Netherlands) List_of_Christian_democratic_parties CDU_Baden-Württemberg Christian_Democracy_(Italy) Charles_Darwin_University Christian_democracy
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Bundesrat
Bundesrat_of_Germany Federal_Council_(Austria) Bundesrat_(German_Empire) Federal_Council_(Switzerland) Bundesrat
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Chancellor
Merkel
Angela_Merkel Merkel,_Texas Max_Merkel Merkel_(firearms_manufacturer) Alexander_Merkel Merkel_nerve_ending Flying_Merkel Pierre_Merkel Merkel_(surname) Fred_Merkel Ron_Merkel Germany
Bremen
Bremen Bremen_(state) Archbishopric_of_Bremen Bremen_Hauptbahnhof Bremen,_Georgia Bremen_(aircraft) Bremen,_Indiana Bremen,_Maine SS_Bremen_(1928) Bremen_Airport Bremen,_Alabama SV_Werder_Bremen Bremen-Verden Bremen,_Ohio Bremen_High_School_(Bremen,_Indiana) Bremen_Township,_Cook_County,_Illinois
Merkel
Angela_Merkel Merkel,_Texas Max_Merkel Merkel_(firearms_manufacturer) Alexander_Merkel Merkel_nerve_ending Flying_Merkel Pierre_Merkel Merkel_(surname) Fred_Merkel Ron_Merkel Germany
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
SPD
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany Freedom_and_Direct_Democracy Shepshed_Dynamo_F.C. Social_Democratic_Party Semen_Padang_F.C. Scottish_Football_League_Premier_Division Social_Democratic_Party_in_the_GDR St_Patrick's_College,_Dublin Serial_presence_detect S.P.D._(song) 1992–93_Scottish_Premier_Division 1987–88_Scottish_Premier_Division 1986–87_Scottish_Premier_Division Power_Rangers_S.P.D. SPD_Bavaria Norwegian_speciedaler
Merkel
Angela_Merkel Merkel,_Texas Max_Merkel Merkel_(firearms_manufacturer) Alexander_Merkel Merkel_nerve_ending Flying_Merkel Pierre_Merkel Merkel_(surname) Fred_Merkel Ron_Merkel Germany
Bremen
Bremen_(state)
slot::in slot::keyword topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe1 type::location
Social Democrats
Social_Democratic_Party_of_Germany
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Christian Democrats
Christian_Democratic_Union_of_Germany
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Greens
Alliance_90/The_Greens
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Angela Merkel
Angela_Merkel
gender::female iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_gov type::person type::politician
Bundesrat
Bundesrat_of_Germany
iptc::11000000 slot::keyword topic::politics type::agency type::entity type::governmental_organisation type::organization
Germany
Germany
slot::in topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Bremen
Bremen
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Sunday
topic::none type::time type::value
German
topic::none type::gpe0-x type::other
Wednesday
topic::none type::time type::value
Mayor
topic::none type::role type::value
Jens Böhrnsen
Jens_Böhrnsen
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::person type::politician type::politician_local
member
topic::none type::role type::value
Thomas Röwekamp
wikidata:Q1263794
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_gov type::person type::politician
Left Party
The_Left_(Germany)
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::organization type::party
Chancellor
topic::none type::role type::value
Bundestag
Bundestag
iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::agency type::entity type::governmental_organisation type::organization