UPDATE (9/22) Election results are here
As of this posting, the polls open in only a few hours. I believe the polls close at 1800 Germany time on Sunday, which is 9am Pacific.
Justin Weitz has his final comments before the election. He predicts a slight Stoiber victory. Read his reasons why. The latest polls still say neck-and-neck.
Scott "PapaScott" Hanson is an American living in Germany. Check his blog too for local color on the election.
Today's round-up straight from the German press
Well, they're actually all from Die Welt today.
Die Welt has a conservative outlook and a number of its stories are favorable to Stoiber. The current headline in the online edition: "Tensions with the U.S. overshadow election", next to a picture of the Justice Minister who is confused about the differences between Bush and Hitler. The story mentions Condoleezza Rice's comment that the atmosphere in German-American relations has been "poisoned".
Die Welt interviews Edmund Stoiber. He criticizes Schroeder's economic results of high deficits, record bankrupcies, high unemployment and also the state of education, research and morale. He criticizes the Justice Minister's statement comparing Bush to Hitler as "unutterable and intolerable" and blames Schroeder for fomenting and exploiting anti-American feelings to divert attention from his own domestic failures. Stoiber effectively dismisses as a gaffe his earlier statement about not allowing the US to use its German bases for an attack on Iraq and acknowledged that the US can use its facilities as it sees fit. He clarified that he will support the UN's decisions, whereas Schroeder has indicated that he would not participate even in a UN sponsored action against Iraq.
Die Welt also reports that Juergen Moellemann will be asked to resign after the polls close on Sunday. If he refuses, the FDP governing committee will convene on Monday morning to kick him out. The only thing that could save him would be a blow-out victory in his home state.
Finally, Die Welt walks us through the various scenarios for the next coalition government . Bear in mind that the outcome of the election depends not only on the contest between Stoiber and Schroeder. As it stands, they are each at about 37% in the polls and whoever becomes Chancellor will do so only with the support of one or more of the smaller parties. Neither party will want to include the ex-Communist PDS, which might not even get enough votes to win any seats in the legislature. But Schroeder could conceivably be willing to include the PDS. Also, Schroeder could form a government with either the Greens or the FDP or both. But Stoiber's only option would be to have a coalition with the FDP. The only other combination would be a grand coalition involving both large parties, with the larger party in the driver's seat. The fact that the election appears to be so close along with the fact that Schroeder has more options for forming a government, suggests that he has the greater odds of staying in power. Then again, we'll find out for real soon enough.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at September 21, 2002 03:32 PM