Dundorf

[TheNick]

Erica Kleinfelder Elected to Historic Fifth Term as Chancellor but Social-Democratic Base Demands Change
December 5658

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Erica Kleinfelder (NDZP) addressing Bundestag following her election as Federal Chancellor

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Dunburg - Following the victory in the October election, NDZP's historic leader Erica Kleinfelder, who served as Chancellor four times, most recently from 5654 to 5656 (as part of the past term's "Tandem" agreement with the DSDP), has been appointed Chancellor-designated for the fifth time by Federal President Teitelbaum and was elected today in Bundestag with 352 votes. Her coalition is the continuation of the previous Government, NDZP (Hosian-Dems) with the DSDP (Social-Dems) and TLD (Lib-Dems), which can count on 375 seats in the Bundestag, this means that 23 members of Bundestag belonging to the Majority did not in fact vote to elect Mrs. Kleinfelder as Chancellor, for her election it wasn't a problem: the majority needed in Bundestag is just 316 members.

The vote to elect a Chancellor is secret, so there is no way of knowing exactly who didn't vote her in, but speculation in and across the Bundestag say that the most leftist members of the DSDP voted blank as a form of protest to the party leadership, which according to some core members of the party is 'too centrist'. As a matter of fact into the DSDP's internal dissatisfaction, the Chontalen state chapter of the party refused to endorse the new Government, and in the Assembly, more and more members are finally calling for a new Leadership election to replace the decades-long leader and four times Chancellor, Jorg Berger. Anyways, Chancellor Kleinfelder will have to walk on eggshells if she would like to prevent a DSDP walkout from the coalition, which could become likely if the leadership election is held and a more progressive candidate is elected Secretary of the party.

On the other hand, the third coalition partner, TLD, was very glad that this Government was formed instead of the possible alternative: a big-tent leftist coalition incorporating the communist DRF with the three parties of the center-left: DSDP, GPP and DSU. Lib-Dem Bundestag Leader Matt Hofman said to our Zeitung: 

This NDZP-led Government and Mr. Berger's courage to stand up to its most radical members both mean that the communists will not enter this nation's Federal Government, and as TLD, we'll always make sure to prevent their ascent to power.

DRF's Deputy Bundestag Leader Anna Brankocevic replied: 

TLD's fearmongering against our party? I think it's growing pathetic and shows that they haven't much arguments to run on. Regarding the DSDP, I don't comment on their internal politics, but I must point out that DRF, for sticking to the left and not caving to the center, actually gained votes in the last elections.