Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 09DUSSELDORF36, CANDIDATES STUMP HEAVILY IN GERMANY'S MOST POPULOUS STATE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09DUSSELDORF36.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09DUSSELDORF36 2009-09-25 09:57 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Dusseldorf
VZCZCXRO4328
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDF #0036/01 2680957
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250957Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0232
INFO RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHDF/AMCONSUL DUSSELDORF 0248
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSSELDORF 000036 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL GM
SUBJECT: CANDIDATES STUMP HEAVILY IN GERMANY'S MOST POPULOUS STATE 
OUTCOME "TOO CLOSE TO CALL 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000036  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
North Rhine-Westphalia:  A Model for Black-Yellow 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
--------- 
 
 
 
1.  (U) During the last week of the Bundestag election campaign, 
the leaders of all major parties campaigned heavily in North 
Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany's most populous state with 
almost 22 percent of the German electorate.  With 13.5 million 
eligible voters, the state has often played a decisive role in 
tipping the balance in favor of one political camp or the other. 
 The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Free Democratic Party 
(FDP) view NRW, where a successful CDU-FDP coalition ended 39 
years of Social Democratic Party (SPD) rule four years ago, as a 
key state and model for a new coalition in Berlin.  Both parties 
kicked off the final phase of their national campaigns with 
large rallies in Duesseldorf on September 3 and 6, respectively, 
when Chancellor and CDU national chairwoman Merkel and FDP 
national chairman Westerwelle were the key-note speakers at 
these events.  SPD chancellor candidate and Foreign Minister 
Steinmeier made numerous campaign appearances in NRW's Ruhr 
region, the traditional Social Democratic stronghold and 
powerhouse, trying to mobilize the SPD's core constituency. 
 
 
 
2. (SBU) Post has discussed the upcoming elections with many NRW 
politicians and political observers in the past month and most 
describe the campaign as dull and uninteresting.  Almost 
everyone views the election as too close to call, with some 
predicting a continuation of the Grand Coalition and some a 
so-called black/yellow coalition (CDU/Christian Social 
Union-FDP), but all are cautious, having been burned four years 
ago when the polling did not reflect reality.  According to the 
Greens caucus leader in the NRW Landtag, Sylvia Loehrmann, the 
party has a fickle and demanding voter bloc, which will not make 
up its mind how to vote until the final days of a campaign.  A 
leading Greens politician in NRW also expressed skepticism with 
FDP leader Westerwelle's credentials to serve as Foreign 
Minister in a black/yellow coalition, given his past overblown 
assertions about his and his party's prospects for success.  No 
one expects substantial changes in policy, either internal or 
external, including on Afghanistan, regardless of which of the 
two major coalition possibilities wins out --  though contacts 
believe any policy changes would be more likely if Merkel gets 
her wish and partners with the FDP in a new government, rather 
than maintaining the status quo in a Grand Coalition. 
 
 
 
Last-minute Campaign Appearances in NRW 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
 
 
3. (U) The night before she left for the G-20 summit in 
Pittsburgh, Chancellor Merkel addressed a crowd of 5000 plus 
enthusiastic supporters at a September 23 campaign rally in 
Wuppertal.  Her combative speech touched on all the main points 
of the CDU election platform, including lower taxes, 
strengthening families, and more money for education.  A "flash 
mob" of around 100 people, including activists of the "Pirate 
Party," tried to heckle her, unsuccessfully, as she handled the 
situation with quick-wittedness and humor.  SPD chancellor 
candidate Steinmeier made his final campaign appearances in NRW 
in the Ruhr area cities of Bochum and Dortmund on September 21 
and 22.  In Dortmund, supported by Federal Finance Minister (and 
former NRW Minister President) Steinbrueck, Steinmeier attacked 
the CDU and FDP, accusing them of planning to carry out "tax 
cuts for a few, and cuts in social benefits for many" after the 
elections.  FDP chairman Westerwelle will hold his last big 
campaign rally in his hometown and constituency of Bonn on 
September 25. 
 
 
 
Few New Faces:  Prospective Deputies from NRW 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------------ 
 
 
 
4. (U) A look at the NRW state lists of candidates of the 
various parties shows that all five parties, CDU, SPD, FDP, 
Greens and the Left Party, are relying heavily on incumbents, 
with only a handful of newcomers nominated for election.  The 
parties gave the bulk of "safe" slots on the state lists to 
 
DUSSELDORF 00000036  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
incumbent Bundestag members.  The most prominent newcomer among 
the SPD Bundestag candidates is Finance Minister Steinbrueck, 
who is running for a Bundestag seat for the first time in a 
constituency east of Duesseldorf, and whose number three slot on 
the SPD assures him of election.  Sven Volmering, NRW state 
chairman of the "Junge Union," the CDU's youth organization, is 
probably the best known CDU newcomer with a safe slot. 
Christian Lindner, the youngest member of the NRW Landtag and 
FDP Secretary-General in NRW can expect to be elected to the 
Bundestag, as can Frithjof Schmidt, a former Greens member of 
the European Parliament and former Greens state chairman in NRW. 
 Sarah Wagenknecht, the leader of the orthodox communist 
platform within the Left Party, has an excellent chance of 
winning a Bundestag seat via the Left Party's state list in NRW. 
 
 
 
 
5. (U) This message was coordinated with Embassy Berlin. 
WEINER