Germany's political stage is bracing for the upcoming Bundestag elections scheduled for February 23, 2025, marked by heightened tensions and pivotal policy debates. Six political parties have banded together to sign a Fairness Agreement, aimed at nurturing respectful dialogue and minimizing attacks during the fierce campaign season.
Among the signees are the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Greens, the Free Democratic Party (FDP), and the Left Party. Notably, the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the federalist Bavarian Party (BSW) have opted out of this cooperative effort. This pact emerges as political exchanges intensify, especially surrounding Chancellor Olaf Scholz's leadership and his competition with Merz, who heads the CDU.
The actions leading to the Fairness Agreement have been sparked by increasingly pointed remarks exchanged between Scholz and Merz, underlining fears of aggressive confrontations as the campaign progresses. With personal attacks becoming more frequent, the signatories are attempting to keep the focus on substantive discussions. Significantly, the agreement stipulates no negative personal insults, strict adherence to truth, and emphasizes the prohibition of spreading misinformation.
The objective here is to preserve the campaign's integrity, advocating for peaceful interactions among party members and maintaining the condition of campaign materials—essentially declaring war against sabotage of political posters and promotional sites.
Party leaders assert their commitment to ethical digital campaigning as well, vowing to refrain from the use of deepfake technology, which could misrepresent opponents' words. It’s about time to insist on clear disclaimers whenever artificial intelligence is employed for political content.
With the Fairness Agreement in place, participants hope it will engender accountability and transparency, ensuring nobody leverages dubious narratives for political gain, thereby reinforcing core democratic principles as the election draws near.
Meanwhile, Germany's economic situation presents another layer to the electoral contest, particularly with warnings from Goldman Sachs about potential headwinds for Germany's economy as the clock ticks down to 2025. Factors such as trade instabilities—primarily with the U.S., consistently high energy prices, and the increasing competition posed by China trouble analysts.
Goldman Sachs forecasts Germany's economy will grow just 0.3% along with the predicted slower summation relative to other European countries, like the euro area’s projected growth of 0.8% and the UK at 1.2%. Current data reveals Germany's GDP hasn’t shifted since late 2019, which raises eyebrows. Similar to the aforementioned political tensions, these economic dilemmas have foreshadowed challenges for the coming elections.
Goldman Sachs Research chief European economist Jari Stehn notes, “Even though industrial production is down significantly over the last few years, the amount of value added has actually been much more stable.” A shift toward higher-value production is seen as key to overcoming these economic hurdles.
Yet Sten emphasizes the factors perpetuating stagnation: reliance on Russian gas has significantly worsened energy input costs; Germany's economic ties with China have shifted from advantageous exports to increasing competition; and there’s the pressing issue of structural regulation slowing down new businesses.
Meanwhile, the cannabis legalization debate has surfaced as another focal point leading to the elections. Results from recent polls indicate significant support for broader cannabis legislation, with over 59% of Germans backing full legalization. This sentiment follows the government’s decision earlier this year to formalize personal cannabis use laws, defining policy changes surrounding the establishment of cannabis clubs and removing cannabis from the list of controlled substances.
The poll captured by the German Hemp Association reveals the largest spike in legality support since initial legalization discussions commenced, particularly among younger Germans (18-34), with 82% backing decriminalization measures. Most compelling, the results highlight stark ideological divides among voters: 78% of Green Party supporters and 63% of SPD back cannabis reforms, whereas only 46% of CDU and CSU supporters share similar enthusiasm.
With growing favorability for rights granted by cannabis policies, concerns arise over how the CDU/CSU will approach these measures if positioned to lead post-elections. Markus Söder, CSU’s leader, announced their intention to rescind current cannabis legalization if they claim victory. The AfD champions similar anti-legalization sentiments citing health risks without medical rationale and calls for stronger distinctions between medical and recreational cannabis.
Germany’s second pillar of cannabis policy reform involves pilot programs set to launch in cities like Hanover and Frankfurt, aiming for analytics on local cannabis sales. These initiatives mimic successful European models but hinge on bureaucracy and lagging final regulations. The potential success of these programs may help bolster arguments for artificially constructed acceptance, but looming opposition from right-wing factions creates uncertainty about their future.
The coalition representing the SPD, FDP, and Greens faces fissures compounded by recent governmental crises, leaving uncertainty about the outcomes the next elections will bring. Amid this turbulence, as parties must contend with both the economy and progressive demands for policies like cannabis reform, the stakes have never been higher. The 2025 elections will undoubtedly shape Germany’s future.
