be that comes to africa join us on facebook w africa. it's about today. it's all about the ins. it's all about george chance to discover the world from different perspectives. join us and inspired by distinctive instagram others. d.w. story topics each week on instagram. alone a very warm welcome indeed to this special edition of quadriga coming to you from the heart of berlin where heads are still spinning after sunday's election outcome angle americal secured a fourth term in office as chancellor but who will be joining her in government

will only become clear in the days or more likely the weeks that lie ahead the chancellor social democratic rival martin schultz failed to convince enough voters that he should get the job and save the s.p.d. will now lead the opposition but for many the clear winners in this election are the third place alternative for germany the far right a.f.d. who have made it into the bundestag for the very first time so today on quadriga we're examining the election results here in germany and their significance for germany europe and the rest of the world election twenty seventeen germany has voted in to discuss the latest developments i'm joined here in the studio five three astute observers of german politics beginning with verizon or who was for many years with germany's a.r.d. t.v. network and one of the best known correspondents reporting on the german politics. also with us is. and posner

a regular columnist for the berlin based newspaper did both hello and a warm welcome to today w.'s political correspondent michelle or michelle i would like to begin with you a bit victory for angela merkel she has secured what is an historic fourth term in office but her conservatives got the worst result since nine hundred forty nine would you say. yes well parties won the elections but this was by no stretch of the imagination a victory she will go down in history as. he's managed to basically impose her own political brand on the c.d.u. party and it looks like own party is now paying dearly at the polls here and money and she herself finds herself in a position where she is weakened as somebody talks with putting together a coalition now looking on to germany from the outside and having the german chancellor i'm going to mack will remain

a fixture here suggests that they will be continuity that there will be stability that you can still expect what's coming out of germany in terms of policy but this is a very different political game both in the parliament now and also in terms of which options are on the table to form a government that is on a what do you say how wound it is until america street is very much weaker and germany will be less predictable in the future with this new coalition which is the only real option and that is the so-called john mica coalition where you will explain what that means. will be the question of the greens and liberals and as they do and this will be coalition that will be very hard to form and it will take a lot of time and very open how this will play out. and imposed and what do you say this the outcome of this election is being described as a reality check for germany especially in light of the f.t.

moving into the bundestag. no i don't think it's a reality check at all. thirteen percent of people who voted for the f.t. voted for a totally unrealistic form of course they could discuss that later so it's not a reality check what i think is a very good thing is that the grand so-called grand coalition between america and the s.p.d. which harmed her and harmed the s.p.d. has been broken the s.p.d. is going into opposition good thing secondly we're going to have a coalition of the center right including the greens good thing. whether america is weakened or not she has a mandate the moment she's formed a government she's the head of government and you know polls go up and down the point is she will still be the woman you have to reckon with during the next four years in europe in the world in germany of course so i don't know. is neither a reality check nor can one say america is weakened because there's no one else in

the party who is going to challenge her but when you look at people commenting on the only i have to. put pending entry into the german parliament you know people talk about them marching into parliament people the financial times talks about some models of cocktail being lobbed into the hearts of german democracy is that sensationalism. well to use the term monitor of which i mean you know the name molotov. seems a bit strange in the context of a sort of right wing extremist party which they are look at the polls were predicting something like this for weeks and people in britain i mean talking to all sorts of big giving interviews for the past two weeks to b.b.c. and co and then i wanted to hear about the f.t. suddenly they wake up so if it's a reality check it's a reality check for the international press we in germany we knew what was going to happen we've had they have to get twenty four percent in in regional elections in

east germany and they've got similar numbers now so come on. this is. the new reality in this time but that doesn't mean. you know that it's going to change the way the way well let's go to we've got a clip now let me to let me bring this clip in of alexander garland one of the. co-leaders let's listen to what he had to say this is. a patriot very familiar this is what happened this morning in german politics new development from page three one of the co-chairs of the f.t. . hoping and awaiting from a press conference that they were giving here. she's one of the most familiar faces internationally from the party and i think this is maybe an indication of potential further divisions within the party maybe the policy might even explode. what is it what how could he said that she wanted her party to be

a conservative opposition and ready for government in twenty twenty one of the next election and she's with this action she's shown that she doesn't believe the party leadership power and co are going to do that what they're going to do is fundamental opposition and you know and she's right this is what's going to happen that the police party is going to be more and more radical and is not that is why they're not actually going to upset german politics because they're not going to write if a government the way the links pacify the left party hasn't been ready for government for the past twenty is so that lee leaves the others to sort out the real things of politics of course the question is obvious the question is do we see the beginning of a split within the e.u. we have seen it before the founding fathers of the left the party look a long time ago like all of. the all left they really wanted a conservative. party and now they are faced with

a party that has of course a lot of conservative elements but that about a party that also has a lot of radicals. raises inside of this party i'm not saying they are the majority but they are certainly an important element within the dea and fall compatriot once different and therefore the question is do we see this morning the beginning of a split within this party and i dare say the f.d.a. has already upset takes they and left them mock not just on this election campaign . we see all parties concerning themselves on how they can keep the if the day ahead of this election this historic result for them of this very young party that clearly is not afraid of using very right wing terminology and has declared that they will hunt the government that they will basically what they're saying they

want to heckle the parliaments that they want to hold them to account of the big question is will they remain close in german democracy all will they become part of what they look down on as the establishment right now right now and actually want to develop more policies than being against the migration policy against the euro when you talk about them hunting down their opponents let's go to that clip that i just wanted to see earlier velux on the go and see what he has to say about precisely that. german government which every way it is formed shall dress warmly we will hug them. we will hunt mrs merkel whoever and we will take our country people back again. it is incredibly vitriolic language why are they why has

a so toxic in their view of the angle america. well they basically have to declare that in a way they've set off a political brand as well being anti machall also looking at polling that actually is a significant proportion of german voters who felt that twelve years is enough american anyway so they tap into this right wing rhetoric they. are going on just in the middle of this campaign saying it's time for germany should draw a line to be proud of the military achievements of demonstrators in world war two and then basically saying well i don't really see what the problem is that's what falls for me to all sit i'm just quoting him and it's this kind of new mechanism that is breaking a consensus here in germany amongst not just the launch parties but also those parties already in opposition that is not something you toy with and hold and strikes me most when i hear the song but this is one hundred percent donald trump.

absolutely the same and i think a lot of what we see here you see in the united states and so you can argue that germany is becoming a normal country. a lot of people love the show shocked when they when they hear this but when you look around all over the globe especially in europe france the netherlands poland hungary the united states you have movements like this and in that in that sense germany becomes a normal country whether we like that or not i don't make that very clear. pretty up is this is what is happening right now well and you're shaking your head but i'm shaking my head for the. for several reasons firstly donald trump is in addition to american populism which is quite different from german right wing movements of the past and present you can't compare them what i got on was saying that i know him

very well this was actually not to have done or try. it's pure so-called conservative revolution of the one nine hundred twenty s. which led directly to fascism what is he saying we take back the country we give it back to the people this is one hundred percent yes yes but it means something different in the german context because who are the people he and his party say have hijacked germany it's the western elites it is the united states of america it's the so-called east coast capitalists by which which is code word for the jews it is as alice vital his co. co chief of the of the of the f.t. said the vic the victors of world war two are creating. a civil war in germany in order to exploit us this is. fascist ideology which has nothing to do with champion populism i really want to draw the line and the point is that they

do it they're doing this they want to fundamental opposition they don't want to be in government they want to be a fundament that's why peter left the party that's quite different from the way trump hijacked the republican party in the usa and with all due respect to the polls in the area and so on it's different if that happens in an eighteen million country like germany or in a smallish country like poland and hungary so really this is not just sort of germany becoming normal this is germany reverting to form yes but not a good form no fully agree it's not a good form it's not that i support this i don't know and i'm just going to this is what is happening and receive it everywhere in all major countries and now you see it in germany too and this what what is what is this is what i'm calling we are becoming whether we like it or not a more normal country where you have

a radical left in germany and where you also have a radical right and this is what is happening even following that logic and we're still looking for what actually could be a normal country because there is no right to it said germany because of its history is the one country that could and should know better yet it was even yeah i think you. have to make this point loud and clear. this is the bad thing that is happening but it is happening anyway and i stick to my description germany is becoming more and more normal country and this is part of it but we like it or not go along without but at the same time. i didn't even know that we're seeing in the united states is a very different new normal that could that we could see being established. over the coming four years here in germany because of where germany comes from and

because of still some people being alive who remember the one with what know what it was like what those beginnings are so i think that is coming from a different direction that's why so many alarm bells are ringing at the same time this is a test for democracy and this is also an opportunity to bring radical views into a democratic process let them be tested by german democracy and see whether they stand the test of time. to. listen to what's. on that question how to combat the fillets dissent towards the social democrats. candidates martin schultz had to say just after the results came through now bruckheimer there you go. we will continue our struggle for democracy and tolerance and respect from this day forward with all our strength with vehemence

and passion and given the results of the far right not just with vehemence and passion with all of our might we are as a bulwark of democracy in this country. surely martin schulz of the social democrats is the bull. defending democracy wow this is an opportunity for the social democrats and these are to use their very own history is germany's largest party who stood up to right wing extremism once before and in history unsuccessfully to to basically do we discover their own profile because they very badly need to do that because they have been governed into the ground in a grand coalition with the chancellor angela merkel at the same time you know it's not it's not that anybody's. role to hans the a if t. . who have declared that they are going to hunt the government the big question is

will they stick to the rules everybody has to play with and if they don't will there be enough resilience to go off to that it well but the main question this morning is not what role will play in german politics the big question this morning is what will the your future coalition bring to the table in germany and also in the world ok then i'm going to ask you then it's to explain the jamaican coalition for. his image or maybe we're going to talk about jamaica we don't suggest you make america more like which is that the color black a green and yellow and that is why we journalists media people call it the jamaican quality show and this will stick. so please do gags and we need to know about german politics as a next for you get used to this but anyway this is this is the central question this morning what does this new coalition mean for germany and for the rest of the world and it's interesting to see that

a lot of things that the wall is interested in and right is so what will the biggest country in the european union do in the future what can they do and i i i'm a little bit surprised that a lot of questions have not been asked and have not been mentioned last night and that is foreign policy what will happen to russia. relationship with the you know the u.s. with nato security problems and of course europe. i think it's a big agenda you know it's a big agenda and the only thing that is small a safe to say is that these three parties will support the european idea maybe a little bit more critical but this is the huge thing that they are facing together and then we'll decide we have to address all these question what will happen to russia with our relations with i will very strange relationship. with russia for example and of course with the united states what world us coalition do oh ok let's see let's give ellen a chance to come in tell us about relations between the future. jamaica coalition

in germany transatlantic good relations with washington what what should we expect that. i think actually they could be better than they are now because. america is obviously not that desist always has been. the free democrats what will a bit in direction of neutrality always have by the way their own politics of missed again but in the end they pump free markets and democracy and the greens strange to say who used to be so critical and are now i would say the main pillars. in that coalition supporting sort of if you will and active proactive western policy against russian aggression all over the all over the world and all over the continent so look to see i would say.

don't worry about the transatlantic relation i think that's going to be i think it's going to be fine in spite of mr ok then it has indicated that we do need to worry about what you call the strained relationship with russia mission has nothing to. you know of course. so far we do see an extremely strange relationship when we have reacted to germans have reacted with the nato we have some. thousands of troops eastward braised russian border. and in the baltic states and there are actually based on our border because russia is and has been aggressive against the board extents you need to formally there in the baltic states at the request of the board exams because russia is undermining the sovereignty of the border go on about hearing no doubt about it i'm just describing the facts which is my job as a journalist by the way so this is what we did in reaction to the violation of international order by russia. therefore it will be very interesting how this

new coalition go about it. where we see the seed. moving traditionally towards russia like they did in the past for us what. liberals do in this respect we'll. get more even more support from russia or like they did in the past over the past months a very interesting question a very lot of very interesting question we don't have the answers yet what will we do our relationship with nato. will this new coalition support the two percent goal probably not like they did like. indicated my. very very early think least the word i was looking for thank you so you know a lot of interesting questions but not too many answers so far yes and this is in

this trace and why i like to describe the potential for jamaica coalition that it definitely is a lot less fun than it sounds because you can imagine that german chancellor who has been. basically organizing those sanctions against russia in that hosty was the main person here in europe doing that and across the table you have to send enough from the free democrats who basically already declared crimea dead last that's what i think we have an arsenal that the russians have it so what's the message. we don't have enough time to try and find some middle ground between not that's just. going to be foreign minister. he's already said that thank god he can be fine and mr fine it's for instance and they wouldn't be bad to have. a liberal in charge of that that office and if for instance the greens if jim as jimmy of the greens who by the way is very friendly has been there the day they call each other by the

ninety's. but if he is foreign minister and i'm sure he's not going to go along with giving russia the crimea he will. support the sanctions against russia and so on so i'm i'm quite sanguine about this is going to be a lot of. sound and fury but it's not going to signify anything are you just a sign going on behalf of the. french president how will he be waking up to this potential to make a coalition this one because the free democrats don't quite go along with his plans for reigniting the european project you know he said if if if if there was going to be just a coalition between michael and the free democrats he'd be dead politically well he's got the greens in the coalition so he's half dead right. yes it's going to be difficult but on the other hand one thing he's the main opposition party which thank goodness is the s.p.d. and not the a.f.p. is going to be more pro maicon of the government even is more pro european government even is so there's there's possibilities within the bundestag which

which you know will have to see what happens i don't think. const lost his game yet . well that's an open question but i think all these parties will agree that the german french connection will be the driving engine in europe in the future that will continue and i'm not really barge about europe i think this report is basically pro european and therefore the leadership of anglo american in this respect will continue until we can tell the world this morning which of course took it for granted that. america would be the new and old turns around germany yes she will be and she will be supported by this new coalition when it comes to europe or other question and probably also when it comes to the united states where we see deep divisions i mean climate change is only one of them and but the good the greens this morning keep stressing the gas we

need to continue with the climate change with the barest of court and every thing so that deep divisions of the united states and we'll have to see how that will play out but but it comes to europe we can tell the world this morning relax this new coalition world still support the european idea ok we're going to come in that mission or we've began first question with the last question with you about chancellor merkel people had hoped some people had hoped that they see her as a potential leader of the free world that hope she would come in bold and now it's of this election she hasn't she's wounded no she hasn't and. has standing outside of germany once again is going to then it is in germany right now she has hit hit the low of her tongue and. the city of poverty is going to be interesting to see whether she survives all of the four years interesting times lie ahead for germany thank you very very much enjoy indeed for joining us on this special

edition of quarter acre after the german elections twenty seventeen come back next week but i just.

we'll. end on poetry and the. artist. in fifteen minutes. she's long been a symbol of hope in syria i try to help people. ask us out does she stand for change or the false facade of her husband's rule of terror. she believes in my projection that that they are saving syria. assad.