Co-leader system in German party politics, a critique

Increasingly German political parties are resorting to a system known as co-leader in German language ‘doppelspitze.’ Typically, a man and woman combination to share leadership such that the entire populace is represented without discrimination. My critique as follows:

Here is the break-down of parties with co-heads:

1. The Greens founded this idea in 1980 and today the “Alliance 90/The Greens” is floating well as the most gender parity party in Germany. The current joint leaders are Franziska Brantner and Felix Banaszak.

2. Social Democratic Party (SPD) followed suit in 2019 where Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil function as co-heads

3. The Left Party has co-leaders of Janine Wissler and Martin Schirdewan

4. Alternative for Germany (AfD) a clear outsider in the German ethos is most successful with 150 seats in the Bundaberg, co-chaired by Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla.

Here are the reasons cited for co-chair system:

1. Presumably gender parity is the number one

2. Avoiding internal ideological split and thereby erasing the public image of any disunity in the party structure

3. Removing concentration of power in one person leading towards autocracy

4. Encouraging representation of members from perhaps two opposing wings

5. Dividing the party work-load relating to internal management and external image creation.

The exception

The only party to sail against this trend is Christian Democratic Union (CDU) which takes pride in solo leadership. Currently led by Friedrich Merz.

My critique

1. The German constitution does not support co-heads in the appointment of a Chancellor. There must be a single authority vested with legal and executive powers to lead the country. Therefore domestically the idea of having co-heads in political parties ceased to function when a head of government is to be chosen.

2. Neither European practice encourages split authority at the head of government level may be Prime Minister President or Chancellor. However, there is leeway regarding the head of state who does not possess any executive authority.

3. Only a single leader can assume leadership where decision making at the drop of a hat is vital and necessary. Not only that when the question of accountability arises it is only one Chancellor who owns success or failure.

4. Here is the catch in a contested environment such as crisis confrontation and in extreme cases warfare it must be a single leader in charge and not co-leaders.

5. Whatever said and done Friedrich Merz is the solo Chancellor and he is the one who goes down history as a great leader in making Germany a strong geoeconomics power. No co-leader nonsense!

Therefore Merz is solely responsible for navigating strategy amid geoeconomics in order to Make Germany Great Again!

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Strategy Adviser

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Strategy Adviser

 

 

 

Germany needs constructive strategic stability with Russia

In the recent summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping a path-finding concept was introduced by the latter. Xi called it "constructive strategic stability" a sort of framework designed to guide long-term US-China relations with the aim of win-win partnership. Germany should follow the same with Russia.

Similar to US-China tension Germany is now in the crosshairs of Russia in political, military and geoeconomics areas. Xi Jinping introduced this concept to avoid volatile fluctuations taking place between the two giants and replace these with predictable relationship where issues arising between the two countries firstly managed and secondly turned towards the positive side of the spectrum.

Here are five takeaways of the concept:

1. Conciliation is mainstay where both bilateral and global issues are discussed and deliberated in a regularly held friendly forum

2. Competition between the two cannot be avoided at all. But this competition must be a healthy one where either party does not seek to destroy geoeconomics well-being of the other

3. Deliberation is the king-pin in this framework where differences are aired in a consultative process to arrive at a common solution acceptable for both

4. Collaboration between the two in order to solve not only bilateral issues but global issues especially in the area of trade & investment where both are probably on opposing camps.

5. Stabilisation is sine quo non for both countries to ensure overall stability in the international arena thereby heralding peace & prosperity to all nations in the globe.

Russo German Relationship

Now let me analyse the relationship between Germany and Russia that has plunged into its lowest depth in the post-cold war as well as post unilateral order where American led west sought to dismember the Russian Federation. Some time ago German Foreign Minister, Ms. Annalena Baerbock caused a major political uproar when she publicly stated that Germany is at war with Russia. If something goes wrong and an uncontrollable escalation happens Germany would not only be found at fault but must bear the resultant consequences.

Remember Germany was built as a geoeconomics giant on two axil: cheap credit & cheap energy.   More than that, the stable environment provided by the balance of forces within Europe that favoured via vivendi.

Putin speaks German fluently and knows the culture & ethos of German nation. He always show goodwill towards Germany the erstwhile opponent in the WWII and later cold War opponent until the collapse of the then Soviet Union.

It is time, therefore, Merz led Germany charts German strategy amid geoeconomics and start talking to Russia to foster bonhomie once again!

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Strategy Adviser

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Strategy Adviser

 

 

Food fuel feedstock matrix: how Germany fares?

In geoeconomics spectrum, food security is a vital pole. Therein lies food, fuel and feedstock matrix. This relates to how a country balances between competing needs such as human consumption, bio-energy generation and feed stock requirements for animal husbandry. How Germany fares?

Every country has limited resources in terms of farmland, water and investment allocation for purposes of producing food, fuel and feedstock. In this blog post I am making prelim analysis of Germany’s matrix. Firstly, let me define these three areas:

Food: Crops and livestock raised primarily for direct human consumption providing for nutrients and energy.

Fuel: Energy sources generated from biomass

Feedstock: That part of the agri-products used to feed livestock.

Food: This alone grants Germany high food security, essentially arising from domestic agricultural production of staples, grains, dairy and pork. Even though food production is weak in terms of fresh fruits & vegetable segments, where substantial part is imported, the overall position is positive and must be improved further.

Fuel: Germany is a powerhouse in bioenergy, producing biodiesel, bioethanol, and biogas. In fact, agri-biomass generates approximately 41.1 Terawatt-hour, of electricity that satisfies about 8-10% of domestic energy consumption. The value of fuel produced is around € 50 billion annually.

Feedstock: Germany produces about 22.2 million tonnes of compound animal feed yearly, generating a value turnover roughly of € 8.4 billion. A break-down indicates pig feed of 8.4 million tonnes, accounting for 37% of total. Cattle feed is 6.6 million tonnes and closely behind is Poultry feed at 6.5 million tonnes.

So far so good. Food sufficiency of 83% alone provides a big flip to German food security. By the way, it has granted Germany a covetous status as Europe’ largest food industry covering of solids and liquid varieties. Germany generates a humongous annual turnover of € 186 Billion out of which primary agriculture alone accounts for € 77 Billion.

Next stage is to set a target of food self-sufficiency bracing at 90%. I am confident Germany can easily traverse the 7% gap from the present level of 83%. What is more important is to increase feedstock for animal husbandry use. Simultaneously, bio energy for industrial purposes must also be enlarged from the current level of 8.0% to reach 12.0% in the next few years. Incidentally, bioenergy covers biomass, biogenic waste and biogas.

Navigating strategy amid geoeconomics dictates Germany to further enhance food, fuel and feedstock matrix to become an undisputable leader of Europe.

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Strategy Adviser

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Strategy Adviser