Conference on the results of the German elections at the Hanns Seidel Stiftung

In introduction the German elections on 22nd September 2013 were analysed by Professor Heinrich Oberreuter and MEP Markus Ferber. Prof. Oberreuter qualified the German elections as "Angela Merkel's elections". In his opinion two coalitions are possible: the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) might join forces with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), or the Greens. For his part Markus Feber pleaded in support of a grand coalition between the CDU/CSU and the SPD in order to form a stable, strong German government. The debate continued with a discussion between the MEP James Elles, and the Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giuliani. The first analysed the elections with a more global vision highlighting the international changes like the rise of China. For his part Jean-Dominique Giuliani deemed that this vote was a way of approving the Chancellor but also of establishing a kind of stability in this troubled period. In the past Germany was moderate, now it is rigorous. He recalled that the challenges are still there whether they are economic, diplomatic or political.