{
  "id": "RL31586",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL31586",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 101388,
      "date": "2002-09-27",
      "retrieved": "2016-05-24T20:04:15.030941",
      "title": "German Elections of 2002: Aftermath and Implications for the United States",
      "summary": "The German parliamentary elections of September 22, 2002, returned Chancellor Gerhard\nSchroeder\nand his Red-Green coalition by the narrowest of margins. The Chancellor begins his second term\nweakened by the slimness of his coalition's majority in parliament and the lack of a clear mandate\nfrom the voters. He must deal with serious economic problems left over from his first term. He also\nfaces the challenge of overcoming tensions with the United States brought on by his sharp campaign\nstatements condemning U.S. Iraq policy that may have won him the election. \n  Many now wonder whether Schroeder will exercise fiscal discipline and take unpopular steps\nneeded to restructure the economy. The EU is at a critical stage in its further evolution and needs\nGermany's very active leadership to meet the challenges of enlargement and continued progress as\nan economic and political entity. Here, Germany's economic stagnation and domestic preoccupations\ncould hurt. EU efforts to move forward on the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) are\nalso affected by a need for Germany's action. Germany supports ESDP but unless it increases its\ndefense spending substantially, no serious European defense capability is likely. Germany is a\nprimary supporter of the EU's further enlargement. For EU enlargement to move forward, some very\ndifficult agreements need to be concluded on thorny issues such as the Common Agricultural Policy\n(CAP).\n  The most serious immediate fallout from the election may be to U.S.-German relations. \n Some\nobservers are confident that these incidents represent a relatively minor tiff that will soon blow over. \nOthers are less certain about the impact, noting that this episode may reflect deeper underlying\ndifferences that have accumulated over time. Germany remains one of the most important U.S.\nallies. But differences on policy and principle, pushed aside by the events of September 11, 2001,\nand Germany's immediate offer of unprecedented support for the United States, have resurfaced. \nIf differences continue to mount, some are concerned that they could begin to erode the foundations\nof the relationship. The consequences of such a trend could be serious for bilateral relations, the\nfuture of the EU, and for NATO. This report may be updated as warranted.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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          "encoding": null,
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL31586",
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Agricultural Policy",
    "Foreign Affairs",
    "Intelligence and National Security",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}