INTRODUCTION Eric Langenbacher Liminal Germany
INTRODUCTION Merkeldämmerung Eric Langenbacher Government, Georgetown University Abstract: The elections for the German Bundestag on 24 September 2017 saw heavy losses for the two governing parties—the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD)—and the rise of the right- populist Alternative for Germany (AfD). It took almost six months for a new grand coalition to be formed in light of the extremely fragmented parliament. Despite the good economic situation and relative calm domestically and inter- nationally, much change is occurring under the surface. Most importantly, the country is preparing for the end of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s long tenure. Who and what will come next? Can the surging AfD be contained? Will Ger- many step up into the leadership role for which so many have called? Keywords: 2017 Bundestag election, Alternative for Germany (AfD), Angela Merkel, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) German Parliament, political parties, Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Liminal Germany I was recently re-watching the last Harry Potter film and was struck by the scene where Harry speaks with Dumbledore in a kind of purgatory, having to decide to die or go back to the living to try to defeat evil Lord Voldemort once and for all. (Spoiler alert: He chose the latter and was successful). This depiction of that space in-between life and death seems to be a fitting metaphor for German politics right now—seemingly immobile, in a weird kind of transitional stasis, a liminal state, with everything on hold, caught in-between one reality and another. On the surface, everything looks placid—there were even internet memes circulating about how there was no new government in Berlin for almost half a year, but no one noticed.
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