From: Gene McAloon 

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 20:37:49 +0200, Phil Payne
 wrote:

>It was called "Die Wende" - "the turnaround" - and
it was mainly to do with
>economic policy.  We debated it at incredible length during
"Frhschoppen"
>sessions at the local mayor's house.  The SPD people were really upset
>because they claimed they'd had a "contract" with the FDP - they'd
>delivered on their part - so they said - but the FPD had always dragged its
>feet.
>
>Some bitterness remains - one of my friends back there is staunch SPD and
>still hasn't forgiven his FDP neighbour.

The point, however, is that there was no outcry to change a system that produced
such an absurd action.  In other similar systems, if the coalition fails,
new elections are held. The idea that you can have a change of government
just by minority parties arbitrarily changing coalition partners is the
height of absurdity. It is thoroughly undemocratic, yet the Germans don't
seem to care.

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