Trump promotes Democrats vs. opposing Republicans; Germans aim for coalition government – National & International news MON 27SEPT2021

National and international news Monday, September 27, 2021

NATIONAL

Trump keeps his limelight fix going by promoting Democrats

Nearly a year after being beaten in the 2020 election, then failing to appear for his successor’s inaugural, Donald Trump enjoys the adulation of his die-hard fans.

A former Democrat, who supported the Clintons in their presidential and senatorial campaigns, Trump then dismayed the Republican establishment by winning the GOP nomination in 2016. That year he won.

As the incumbent Republican president, he again claimed the GOP nomination in 2020. That time he lost.

Now he’s back to promoting Democrats who oppose Republicans he doesn’t like.

Is this just a big old fun-loving boy who can’t get his fill of being adored by those who still think he won?

To see more of this story:  https://news.yahoo.com/trump-keeps-promoting-democrats-races-155504858.html

and  https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kadiagoba/trump-rally-ohio-election-fantasy?bfsource=relatedmanual

INTERNATIONAL

Germany’s center-left and center-right parties each try to form coalitions to govern after close election

It appears Germany will be ruled by a coalition government after a narrow parliamentary election yesterday.

The center-right Union bloc of outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel won 24.1% of the popular vote but was slightly edged out by the center-left Social Democrats, which got 25.7% of the vote.

The Social Democrats claimed victory and said they will try to recruit support from the Green Party and Free Democrat parties to form a government.

However, Armin Laschet, Merkel’s successor as the Union Party nominee, said he would also try to form a coalition government, also seeking support from the Greens and Free Democrats.

It may be some days before the horse-trading is finished and a new government is formed.

In the meanwhile, Merkel, having served nearly 16 years as German Chancellor, will stay on in a caretaker role until the dealing is done.

Merkel announced three years ago she would not seek another term as Chancellor. Born in West Germany, Merkel was raised in East Germany where her father was a Lutheran Minister. Merkel holds a doctorate in quantum chemistry and was educated at Karl Marx University in Leipzig, East Germany. She worked as a scientific researcher and published several academic papers.

After the Berlin Wall came down 1989, Merkel got involved in politics in the unified Germany and became a protégé of Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who often referred to her as “mein Madchen” – my girl.

With 16 consecutive years as chancellor, Merkel is arguably the longest serving head of any democratically elected government.

Margaret Thatcher was British Prime Minister for 10-1/2 years. Golda Meir was prime minister of Israel for five years. Indira Gandhi headed the government of India for just under five years before she was assassinated on Oct. 31, 1984.

However, Sheikh Hasina, the female prime minister of Bangladesh has now been in office for 12-1/2 years and previously served five years as that country’s prime minister for five years from 1996 to 2001. Thus, she has now served 17-1/2 years as the head of a Democratic government, although the years are not consecutive.

Of course, Bangladesh is rarely in the minds of Americans. It has a population of 163 million, almost twice as many people as Germany with 83 million.

Merkel, like most long-term successful heads of Democratic governments avoided political extremes. She rarely if ever claimed to be “liberal” or “conservative,” a “right winger” or a “left winger.” She understood that those are merely buzzwords, used by crafty politicians to sway gullible voters.

For more of this story: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58698806