Germany on the road to "normalcy" : policies and politics of the Red-Green Federal government (1998-2002)

Many thought that the 'German question', that had shaped European history so catastrophically in the last century, had been solved for good in 1990. And the last elections seemed to confirm that Germany was on the road to 'normalcy'. However, at the beginning of the new century, many see Germany as a problem case in Europe. This raises the question about the future of Germany and the performance of the incumbent government. The book addresses these issues by examining the policies and politics of the Red-Green government and by putting recent changes and developments in this country in a long-term perspective. Front Matter....Pages i-xx Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Germany on the Road to “Normalcy”: Policies and Politics of the Red-Green Federal Government (1998–2002)....Pages 3-17 Front Matter....Pages 19-19 One Electorate? Social Policy Views and Voters’ Choice in Unified Germany Since 1990....Pages 21-45 The German Party System: Developments After Unification....Pages 47-65 Gerhard Schröder as “Coordination Chancellor”: The Impact of Institutions and Arenas on the Chancellor’s Style of Governance....Pages 67-88 Front Matter....Pages 89-89 The Red-Green Government, the Third Way, and the Alliance for Jobs, Training and Competitiveness....Pages 91-106 Policy Failure: The Economic Record of the Red-Green Coalition in Germany, 1998–2002....Pages 107-122 Continuity or Change: Red-Green Social Policy After Sixteen Years of Christian Democratic Rule....Pages 123-143 Front Matter....Pages 145-145 Internal Security and the Politics of Law and Order....Pages 147-160 From Taboo to Strategic Tool in Politics: Immigrants and Immigration Policies in German Party Politics....Pages 161-181 Red-Green Environmental Policy in Germany: Strategies and Performance Patterns....Pages 183-206 Front Matter....Pages 207-207 From “Tamed” to “Normal” Power: A New Paradigm in German Foreign and Security Policy?....Pages 209-234 European Politics of the Red-Green Government: Deepening and Widening Continued....Pages 235-252 Back Matter....Pages 253-292 Many thought that the "German question", which had shaped European history so catastrophically in the last century, had been solved for good in 1990. Furthermore, the elections in 1998 seemed to confirm that Germany was on the road to "normalcy". For the first time in postwar German history a ruling party coalition was totally unseated by elections. Germany thus finally joined other western democracies as a state where a change of government following elections is commonplace. However, starting in the new millennium many have begun to see Germany as a problem case in Europe yet again. This raises questions about the future of Germany and the performance of the Red-Green government that this book seeks to answer. The contributors to this volume examine policies and politics of the Red-Green government in Germany, put recent changes and developments in this country in a long-term perspective, and provide conclusions about future developments Many thought that the 'German question', that had shaped European history so catastrophically in the last century, has been solved for good in 1990. And the last elections seemed to confirm that Germany was on the road to 'normalcy'. However, at the beginning of the new century, many see Germany as a problem case in Europe. This raises the question about the future of Germany and the performance of the incumbent government. The book addresses these issues by examining the policies and politics of the Red Green government and by putting recent changes and developments in this country in a long