BÜRO LONDON The Chandlery, Office 609 50 Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7QY Tel:+44-(0)20-7721 8745 Fax:+44-(0)20-7721 8746 e-mail: feslondon@dial.pipex.com website: www.fes.de/london FOCUS ON GERMANY Did the trade unions cause the downfall of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder? Hans-Joachim Schabedoth If the German national football team gives a poor performance and loses the game, is it the spectators' fault? In German politics the trade unions' role is a bit more than that of a spectator. As the voice of the labour force and an advocate of social justice the trade union movement is even allowed to talk to the"trainer" and to make tactical suggestions. The actual performance of the government team, however, can hardly be influenced by trade unions in democratic societies. Ultimately, it is the Chancellor who makes the decisions. Just as football trainers sometimes make incorrect decisions, the chancellor has to face the charge that he has not always appointed his team members in the right positions. And the unions are not some sort of government coalition partner nor their mouthpiece in companies. Conversely, governments are not there to do the unions' bidding. Obviously, the German Social Democratic party(SPD) makes its decisions independently of what is decided at trade union conventions. It is only fair to take this into account from the outset. The question as to why Gerhard Schröder as head of government and former SPD chairman did not ultimately achieve the success which the unions wished him on his re-election in September 2002 is another matter entirely. A retrospective view Sixteen years of a conservative government under Helmut Kohl up to 1998 had left the country looking as if it were covered in mildew. The unions were actively engaged as far as they were able in bringing about a political change of course by pointing out the government's shortcomings and encouraging people to vote in the election. However, their commitment back then was more a matter of sober pragmatism than being accompanied by a euphoric feeling of awaiting a monumental change. The voters and supporters of the red-green government did believe that the coalition would be able to find the right course towards more employment and social justice. Hans Joachim Schabedoth is the Head of the General Principles Department of the German Trade Union Confederation DGB