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Not quite a political earthquake, but change is in the air in Germany

27 September 2021

Germans woke up this morning to a changed political landscape. It is difficult to call it a political earthquake, but change is in the air, and the prospect that by Christmas the country will have a chancellor from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is likely.

After a hard fought election campaign, the result, as expected, did not give any single party an outright victory. But the SPD under Olaf Sholz won the first place, securing around 25.7% of the vote, whilst the party of outgoing Chancellor, Angela Merkel, the Christian Democrat-Christian Social Union (CDU-CSU) came a close second with 24.1%. For the CDU-CSU this is the worst election result since the establishment of modern Germany after World War II.

Despite the fact that Merkel herself remains popular and respected, her departure from the leadership of the party meant that Germans could look again at what the different parties had to offer. Two other parties, the Greens and the Free Democrats made considerable gains and are now the likely partners to join in a coalition with the SPD. Whilst that is not a done deal, it is what most observers consider to be the likely outcome. The details will have to be hammered out in the next weeks, and in the meantime Mrs Merkel stays as Chancellor until the process is concluded.

The German public broadcaster, Deutche Welle quoted Mr Sholz as saying at a press conference on Monday morning that "What is clear for us is that we can derive a mandate to build a government".

He laid out his preferred choice for a possible governing coalition.

"The Green party and FDP won a considerable increase in votes, and this is why we will be trying to enter into coalitions with these parties."

"We want to enter into a conversation with the other parties to form a government as quickly as possible," he added.

"A social, environmental, liberal coalition does have a past here in Germany, there's a tradition we can build on and it's what we need to do if we can tackle the challenges of the future," the possible future chancellor of Germany said.

source: commonspace.eu

photo: SPD leader Olaf Sholz at a celebratory event at party headquarters in Berlin on 27 September 2021.

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Council of Europe launches new International Claims Commission for Ukraine

17 December 2025

Thirty-four countries and the European Union have signed a new convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine at a diplomatic conference co-hosted by the 46-nation Council of Europe and the Netherlands in the Hague. The diplomatic conference was attended by leaders and high-level representatives from over 50 states, including the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, and the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof. “Today marks a major step forward in ensuring accountability for Ukraine. The International Claims Commission represents justice and hope for tens of thousands of victims—our determination that those who have suffered will not be forgotten. I call for quick ratifications so we can get the commission rapidly up and running for the people of Ukraine,” said Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “We expect that every mechanism for compensation from the Register of Damage and Claims Commission to the actual payments – will start working and receive strong and sufficient international support, so that people can truly feel that any kind of damage caused by the war can be compensated. This war, and Russia’s responsibility for it, MUST become a clear example – so that others learn not to choose aggression.” “Accountability is about creating the conditions for peace that endures. And therefore, accountability is a condition of security – today and for the future. But accountability is not only about Ukraine. And it is not only about one aggressor and one victim. Accountability is about Europe. About every country in Europe. It is about whether Europe, as a whole, is willing to defend its peace,” said Maia Sandu, President of the Republic of Moldova, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, said: “Every day Russia is deliberately bombarding homes, destroying businesses and damaging infrastructure in Ukraine. Russia must compensate Ukraine for the damage caused. That is why we have launched the International Claims Commission for Ukraine and we are honoured to host it.” The International Claims Commission will be the second part of a comprehensive compensation mechanism related to Russia’s war of aggression, building on the existing Register of Damage for Ukraine. The claims commission will be established within the framework of the Council of Europe and will also be open to other countries. The Register of Damage for Ukraine, created in 2023, collects and records compensation claims submitted by individuals, organisations and public bodies in Ukraine. Forty-four states and the European Union have so far joined the Register, which has already received 86,000 claims. The International Claims Commission will review, assess and decide upon claims submitted to the Register of Damage for Ukraine and determine the amount of compensation, if any, which is due in each case. The convention establishing the commission will enter into force once it has been ratified by 25 signatories, as long as sufficient funds have been secured to support its initial work.

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