“The reasons why Schröder did not lose”

Elections in Germany may lead to different coalitions. If results are analyzed according to the right-left classic division, it’s evident that left wing parties got the majority of the votes, but Merkel is trying to reject such result and its important lesson for the ballot. On the other hand, Gerhard Schröder had dismissed in advance all possible alliances with the new left wing party for his dislike of Oskar Lafontaine and the incompatibility of these parties’ programs.
The emergence and the good result of an anti-liberal left wing movement is the great news in this election. This new party has brought together the Party of Democratic Socialism that was formed by the re-emergence of the RDA’s PC and the Wasg, a party formed by unionists and alterglobalists. Such party could harm the SPD for a long time. Schröder developed the neo-liberal policy and sent German troops to Kosovo. A part of the left wing electorate considered these measures a treason. The new left wing party was recognized by 12% of voting intentions but at the end it did not get good results because of Angela Merkel. Her program was so ultraliberal and absurd that Schröder’s image was enhanced.
Two lessons can be learned here: the rhetoric of the social democracy treason, which seems to be excessive, can harm alterglobalists. The second lesson is that Schröder should remember what saved him.