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Political Parties: On the Campaign Trail

Even prior to the official start of the campaign, the main political parties were jockeying for a good position in the polls, fine-tuning their platforms and pulling out all the stops.

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Whether they actually keep them or not will remain to be seen, but all Germany's political parties made their promises to voters before the Sept. 18 election.

Unemployment, taxes, health insurance and social justice are just a few of the issues politicians wrangled about this campaign season, and every party offered a different solution to the country's problems.

DW-WORLD takes a look at the party landscape -- from the mainstream to the fringe -- examines the party platforms and weighs in on the legacy behind the two main contenders as party leaders prepare to start coalition negotiations in the election aftermath.

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Reports & Analysis

"Change is Needed to Get Germany Moving"

German conservative leader Angela Merkel is currently favored to become chancellor after the Sept. 18 election. In an interview with DW-TV she discussed her foreign policy plans and comparisons to Margaret Thatcher.

Conservative Gaffe Enrages East Germans

Germany's first chancellor candidate from the east, Angela Merkel, ran into fresh electoral problems in the crucial ex-communist states Thursday after a key ally bashed the region's "frustrated" voters.

Fighting for the Heart of the SPD

The SPD faces a potential disaster in the elections, not surprising according to the party's grass roots core. DW looks at the party's heart in the Ruhr Basin and talks to members about their expectations.

Color of Money and Not of Trees

Born an ecological party, the Greens stormed the political scene in the 1980's. They quickly rose to coalition partner and had to shift their focus from pine green to dollar green. Their new platform reveals this.

SPD Presents Election Manifesto

Germany's ruling Social Democrats have presented their election manifesto for upcoming national elections. The party's leader said that the SPD would wage its campaign under the motto "Trust in Germany."

Conservatives Unveil Election Platform

The conservative union bloc of parties has released its election platform for the anticipated federal ballot in September. It's aimed at boosting the stagnant German economy, but some say it doesn't go far enough.

Getting the Gray Vote

Senior citizens make up a third of the German electorate and are being wooed by all the parties. But when it comes to one of the issues that concerns them -- pensions -- they don't think any one party has the answers.

Voting Outside the Box

As Germany's major-league parties fine tune their arguments ahead of elections, the country's numerous fringe groups are trying to adapt to the blow the possibility of an early ballot has dealt to their chances.

Liberals Becoming Neo-Liberal?

The Free Democratic Party makes no secret of the fact that they are pro-business. Their motto heading into the new campaign: lower taxes, more flexibility in the labor market and less government.

Turkish-German Vote Anything But Certain

German politicians are busy wooing Turkish-Germans. But, disenchanted with both the conservatives' anti-Turkish rhetoric and the Social Democrats' unpopular reforms, the group is proving politically unpredictable.

"We Can't Realistically Hope to Win"

Germany's new Left Party has been rising in the polls and is likely to enter Germany's parliament after elections scheduled for Sept. 18. DW-TV spoke to Gregor Gysi, one of the party's leaders, about his plans.

Social Justice or Economic Folly?

The new hard-left grouping in Germany, the Left Party, is sending tremors across the political landscape. But, the party's economic program has industry groups and economists shaking their heads, and worrying.

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