Movements in the German elections

Overall looking at the German election three things happened compared with 2005.

One: on the right (CDU, CSU and FDP), the balance shifted from the Christian parties to the Free Democrats.

Two: on the left the vote shifted from the SPD to the Greens and more significantly to the Left Party.

Three: with a tiny swing, the right block (who are prepared to form a coalition with each other), secured a majority over the left who “won” the election in 2005 (but who were not prepared to form a coalition with one another).

Polarisation within the blocks (the left for social reform and to the right for market fundamentalism) is more pronounced than the swing from the left to the right block.