(November 15, 2012 at 7:57 pm)Rhythm Wrote: I'm wondering, do specific regions of Germany have predictable (or semi predictable) voting habits over time? Does Bavaria, for example, consistently go to the CDU (or any other party)? I recall them having their own party with a similar name..but I wonder if these are just names..or indicative of ideology (and offering each other broad support at the level of interaction of the state and the fed).
The answere is: I dont know.
And it is a great answere.
The political field of Germany has changed radicaly in the past 20-30 years.
States such as Berlin which is a traditionaly social democratic state and Bavaria which is a traditionaly conservative state, will probably stay predictable.
But in other states things have changed radicaly.
Merkel has moved her party away from stubbern social conservative views. Gay marrige, abortion and other - are no longer subjects of debate. At the same time the left wing parties have moved away from stubbern leftist views, the greens and social democrats have become more buisnessfriendly.
And the electorat?
Last year the conservative state Badn Würtenberg suddently had a green goveneur.
The left-wing states of NRW and Hamburg had a conservative Govenor and major.
The German electorat is turning more and more into a "completly swing state electorat".
Viewer people vote the same party for years, people are more and more convinced through arguments than through stubbern positions.
So german elections are more and more about arguments than pritty speeches and apeals to a traditional electorat.
Which in my view is a positive development.
