China News Agency, Berlin, April 18 (Reporter Peng Dawei) On the 19th, the Green Party, which is currently in full swing in the German general election, will announce its participation in the competition for the next prime minister.

It is widely expected that the CDU, where the current Chancellor Merkel belongs, will also negotiate with the sister party CDU to form a joint candidate of the two parties within a few days.

As the candidates of the major political parties are released one after another, the general election, which Merkel no longer seeks to be re-elected and regarded as "the most suspenseful in 16 years", is about to begin.

On March 14, local time, Germany's "Super Election Year" started its first battle.

The picture shows passers-by passing through the campaign advertisements of various political parties on the streets of Mainz.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Peng Dawei

The epidemic has not abated, the climate and environmental protection boom, the green party elections are bullish

　　The latest authoritative poll "German Trends" published by German TV One on the 16th of this month shows that the German Green Party has 21% of voters' approval rate, second only to the 28th coalition party (CDU and CSU). %. At the same time, it is far ahead of the Social Democratic Party and other major political parties in the current government.

　　How do you view the rise of the Green Party in the German political landscape in recent years?

Arne Jungjohann, a political scholar at the Heinrich Bohr Foundation in Germany, told a reporter from China News Agency that long before the outbreak of the new crown epidemic, the response to climate change and the related energy and transportation transitions were already Leaped to the top of the topics that German voters are most concerned about.

"Climate is a long-term issue. It will not disappear as the epidemic rages, nor will it be forgotten after the epidemic is over."

　　Arne Jung Johann analyzed that climate issues are expected to gradually return to the center of German public opinion within the year.

He pointed out that at present, the "strategic advantage" of the Green Party is that any possible cabinet formation plan after the general election will not be able to circumvent it-whether it is the black-green combination (Alliance Party-Green Party) or the Jamaican combination (Alliance) This is true for the Party, the Green Party, the Liberal Democratic Party) or the "traffic light" combination (the Green Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Liberal Democratic Party).

　　Gu Xuewu, director of the Global Studies Center at the University of Bonn, Germany, also pointed out that the possibility of the Green Party participating in power after the September general election is very high.

He predicts that the Green Party will play an important role in Germany's political ecology for a long period of time in the future.

Data map: German Chancellor Merkel.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Diao Haiyang

Coalition candidates: a contest between two governors

　　Within Merkel's coalition party, the competition for the prime minister's candidate has heated up.

A few days ago, the chairman of the CDU, the governor of North Rhine-Westphalia Raschelt, the chairman of the CDU and the governor of Bavaria Zed have all publicly expressed their intention to run for the next prime minister.

　　In the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, the CDU was only active in Bavaria, while the CDU carried out political activities in states other than Bavaria. The two parties jointly participated in the previous general elections under the name of the "Union Party" and formed the "Union Party". The Caucus" enters the Bundestag.

By convention, the coalition party usually elects the chairman of the CDU as the prime minister's candidate.

Including the election of the first Chancellor Adenauer of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949, the subsequent five prime ministers including Ahad, Kissinger, Kohl and Merkel have served as the chairman of the CDU. The CDU has so far been There has never been a prime minister (Ehd is a Bavarian, but represents the CDU).

　　Rashet is generally regarded as the successor to Merkel's line, and is more favored by the latter.

After the two announced their intention to stand in the election, the senior leaders of the CDU and CSU expressed their support for their respective party chairman.

However, the aforementioned authoritative polls show that Zede's approval rate among ordinary voters is 44%, which is significantly ahead of Raschelt's 15%.

Among the coalition party supporters, Zeder's support rate is as high as 72%, and Raschelt is only 17%.

　　Wegener, chairman of the Berlin State Branch of the CDU, told German media on the 18th that in his opinion, the majority of the CDU supports Zeder as a candidate for prime minister.

He proposed that the two parties could consider jointly launching Zeder as a candidate, while Raschelt would continue to serve as the "strong party chairman."

　　As of press time, Raschelt and Zed are still not giving way to each other.

The coalition caucus in the Bundestag is expected to meet on the 20th to make a final decision on the issue of the candidate for prime minister.

As of April 18, a total of 79,914 people in Germany have died due to the new crown virus.

On the same day, Germany's national flag was lowered to mourn at half-mast, and officials held a ceremony in Berlin to mourn the dead in the new crown epidemic.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Peng Dawei

　　Anti-epidemic and election war entangle Merkel facing a difficult balance

　　Since Rashet was elected chairman of the CDU in January this year, Merkel has rarely spoken out on election issues.

At the moment, the biggest test she faces is how to smoothly push the Bundestag to complete the amendment to give the Federation greater authority during the epidemic prevention process, so as to help Germany get out of the third wave of COVID-19 that continues to raging as soon as possible.

　　Because the draft amendment passed by the Merkel cabinet was considered by many parties to violate the principle of decentralization of power established by Germany after World War II, the power of epidemic prevention was largely returned to the federation. This not only caused strong dissatisfaction from many states and opposition parties, but even jointly governed. The Social Democratic Party also sharply criticized the draft and requested amendments to the draft.

　　Looking back on Merkel's 16 years in power, she has led Germany to deal with the global financial crisis, the European debt crisis and the refugee crisis. So far, she is still dealing with the crisis caused by the new crown epidemic.

However, as the anti-epidemic cycle continues to lengthen, Merkel has to face growing dissatisfaction from all walks of life.

In late March, there was an incident in which Merkel and the governors of the states announced the implementation of the "strictest lockdown order" for Easter after negotiating overnight. However, it was only a day later that she was forced to retreat under pressure.

Merkel had to apologize to the people.

　　"Considering the controversy between the top candidates of the Coalition Party, the suspected corruption scandal of the parliamentarians who are still under investigation, and the'programmatic fatigue' caused by more than 15 years in power-the Coalition Party is in shock." ·John Jung said.

　　As the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said, this is the "last crisis" that Merkel wants to lead her country out of.

This is not only related to how people will remember her career as a prime minister, but also how to "save" the coalition election.

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