WAHL & WAHLKAMPF
Wahl steht bevor = government’s electoral office announces poll is around the corner/imminent; government is about to launch a ballot; country to hold a vote soon; citizens will head to the polls next week
Parteien positionieren sich für den Wahlkampf = all political parties are in the process of staking out their positions for the next general election; the major parties are drawing/setting the battle lines for the political campaign
Volksparteien sichern ihre Strategie/Positionen für die neue Wahl = mainstream/major parties hedge their bets for the new/upcoming election; major parties need to rekindle their mission as governing parties
Parteien heuern/werben Wahlberater an, die sich vor allem um die Öffentlichkeitsarbeit kümmern = spin doctors (i.e political advisers/ consultants) will as usual be hired/retained on behalf of political parties to deal with the press and public issues during the campaign
viele Experten/Berater arbeiten dem Parteivorsitzenden zu = the party leader feeds off (of) the expertise of a large group of advisers/ consultants
es gibt viele Kandidaten mit ausländischen Wurzeln/Migrationshintergrund = a lot of candidates are of foreign/Italian/Turkish descent/ are from overseas parents
Wie fit ist der Bundeskanzlerkandidat? = Does the candidate have the ability to go head-to-head with foreign leaders?
Opportunismus spielt eine Rolle bei der Rhetorik der Politiker = opportunistic politicians whip up/use class/status resentment as a political bargaining chip; candidate seizes on the incumbent government’s poor management of immigration issues to sell his own party’s general election message
manche Politiker oder auch Regierungen im Wahlkampfmodus, bringen Projekte/Fördermittel auf den Weg, die vor allem dem eigenen Wahlkreis zugute kommen = pork/pork barrel/pork barreling is the practice of pursuing local projects/ allocating (huge) public funds/appropriations that mainly benefits a politician’s own constituency in order to gain favor with voters; there is also the election year pork:the sitting government crafts a very generous budget containing such items as “cost-of-living relief“, “additional tax cuts/incentives”, “rent assistance”, or “power/energy bill subsidy/rebate” in order to win votes/purchase votes with favors; some analysts view them as an irresponsible and desperate vote-buying exercise; anyway, it’s all pork
leere Argumente verfangen nicht mehr bei manchen Wählern = hollow/lofty promises will no longer wash with/fly with/go down well with/won’t sell on the electorate; the candidate could no longer hook voters on the idea of better education options for low-income families
nicht alles läuft rund im Wahlkampf = the campaign is hitting choppy waters/has been swamped by scandals, which continue to bite
der Schlagabtausch zwischen beiden Volksparteien beginnt bereits vor den Wahlen = both major/mainstream parties have already started trading pre-election policy barbs/blows; opposition accuses incumbent PM of running a desperate scare campaign
Steuerentlastungen/-senkungen werden im Wahlkampf (mal wieder) in Aussicht gestellt = the battle lines over tax cuts/concessions between the opposing parties are being (once again) redrawn
Bekämpfung der galoppierenden Inflation sowie Migration avancieren zu den Hauptthemen im Wahlkampf beider Volksparteien = taming the rampant inflation and migration policies loom large/take center stage as election campaigning kicks off
vor der Wahl klopfen/machen auch Politiker gerne Sprüche, um die Wähler mitzunehmen = before the election the prime minister trumpeted/extolled/lauded/praised the virtues of the nation’s way of life and rallied the nation/his people with the statement “we will make it”/"we will pull it off"/"we'll get the job done"
amtierender Kanzler/Vizekanzler schaltet in den Wahlkampf-Modus = the incumbent prime minister is cranking up the pace of his reelection bid/campaign; the deputy prime minister has also hit the campaign trail
nach sanftem Kurs im Wahlkampf bläst der Präsident plötzlich zum Angriff = the campaigning president suddenly changed his strategy/ playbook when he flicked the switch from appeasement to attack/to a sledge-hammer approach; by saying he would slash taxes the sitting president’s reelection campaign started with a bang
veraltete Konzepte/politische Auslaufmodelle kommen bei vielen Wählern nicht an = obsolete policies may misfire with many voters
heutzutage geben viele Wähler nicht mehr ihre Stimme entsprechend der Parteilinien ab = nowadays many people no longer vote on party lines
Parteimitglieder stellen sich bei allen Wählern vor = members of all parties meet and greet with constituents
Parteien geben ihr Bestes, um unschlüssige Wähler mit Brandreden zu überzeugen
= with impassionate/fiery/scorching/highly-charged/high-profile speeches political parties are trying to woo/win over easily-swayed voters; party caters to undecided voters
Kandidaten gehen auf Wählerfang/Klinken putzen = candidates hit the road/the campaign trail to canvass door to door for votes; candidates are on the stump to capture undecided voters; all parties have embarked on a door-to-door campaign in small townships to stump for/to solicit votes
Parteimitglieder sollten verstärkt vor Ort auftreten = party officials/members should engage in face-to-face conversations with their constituents; it certainly wouldn’t hurt keeping/staying in touch with voters’ key issues; candidates are holding town halls in order to be more aware of voters’ ordinary/everyday problems; in the run-up/lead-up to the election politicians usually show more interest in community outreach work/services
erfahrene Politiker/Parteien setzen sich für Themen ein, die die Wähler umtreiben = seasoned/battle-tested politicians tap voters’s anxieties; party reaches out/caters to/responds to the electorate’s fears
die Hauptthemen, die viele Wähler umtreiben, sind das überforderte Gesundheitssystem, der Mangel an angemessenem Wohnraum (zu teuer), die unkontrollierte Einwanderung, die inkonsequente Klimapolitik sowie die hohen Lebenshaltungskosten = for many voters the key issues are the overstretched health system, lack of adequate housing (too expensive), uncontrolled immigration, inconsistent climate policies as well as the high cost of living
Politiker müssen Menschen/den Otto Normalverbraucher/die Gemeinden einbinden/mitnehmen = politicians should reach out/relate to /connect to/bond with ordinary workers and/or empower the local community; politicians need to rally the troops/bring or get ordinary citizens on board; local constituents/undecided voters are being galvanized into action by the campaigning politician; politicians should always endeavor to deliver the best outcomes to the community; the prime minister is the type of person who can level with ordinary citizens; politicians should make sure local voters get involved with the party activities in their communities; many politicians make a loud and effusive display of friendliness by backslapping people on the campaign trail; politicians must be tuned in to the needs of the ordinary workers
führende Politiker sind manchmal entnervt und können nicht wirklich auf die spezifischen Anliegen der Zuhörer eingehen = leading politicians are sometimes unnerved by various concerns/issues; the politician rambled on without really putting the spotlight on/ addressing the specific concerns of the audience
wir müssen mehr Leute ins Boot bringen/holen = we have to bring/get more people on board; we have to make sure that more people get in on the action
einige Politiker können Menschen nicht gut mitnehmen, oder manchmal sich nicht gut verkaufen = some politicians are not eloquent/ skilled enough at pitching/presenting new ideas to voters/do not possess the capability to convey their messages to the general public/ ordinary people; ocasionally politicians sell themselves short/short change themselves/undersell themselves
arrogante Politiker sind nicht mehr “in”= arrogant/imperious politicians who do not understand/care about the desires/concerns of ordinary citizens are definitely obsolete/outmoded/out of date
Unentschlossene begrüßen ambitionierte Pläne = bold initiatives come across well/gain acceptance/resonate/strike a chord/go over well with wavering/undecided voters
führende Politiker machen Stippvisiten vor der Wahl = in the lead-up/run-up to the election key politicians go on a whistle-stop tour/ conduct a flying/fly-by visit; that was just a five-minute drop-by by the deputy leader of the opposition
Wie werden sie wählen? = How will votes fall?
Kandidat muss alles in die Waagschale werfen = the candidate has to go for broke/needs to double down if he wants to win the election/ has to play the election card strongly
Verwerfungen in der Politik gehören zu den Haupthemen dieser Wahl = uncertainty and political upheaval are the key election issues; there is some political turmoil/upheaval at the top
die Schmutzkampagne befindet sich in vollem Gang = there is a sleaze/dirty tricks campaign going on; mud flies in the fight for votes; sometimes foreign advertising/meddling can skew the outcome of an election/can tip the scales in favor of a certain candidate
für die Opposition ist der Präsident nach 10 Jahren im Amt nicht mehr haltbar = according to the opposition the president has become untenable after ten years in office
Regierungspartei möchte Wähler dahingehend überzeugen, dass sie nicht für eine kleine Partei stimmen = the ruling party is trying to sway/influence electors not to cast a vote for the minor contenders
Opposition liebäugelt mit der Wählerschicht/-gruppe 50plus = opposition tries to woo/win over/court the over-50 demographic/section of the population
unabhängiger Kandidat hofft, dem derzeitigen Verkehrsminister den Sitz abzujagen = independent opposition candidate hopes to snatch off the seat of the current Transport Minister
... es gelingt ihm aber nicht = incumbent Transport Minister holds off a steep challenge from an independent candidate
Stress setzt manch einem Politiker/Minister zu = a member of the parliament crumbled on the campaign trail; stress is starting to bear down on the minister’s health; stress is starting to pile/heap/pour misery on the beleaguered senator
angeschlagener Minister lässt sich nicht kleinkriegen/entmutigen = embattled minister stands up to the storm, survives and soldiers on/forges on
es war eine anstrengende Kampagne = that was a hard-fought campaign; we had to go through thick and thin
Briefwahl könnte das Wahlergebnis erheblich/spürbar zugunsten der Opposition kippen = mail votes may significantly tilt/skew/tip the balance toward/in favor of the opposition
diese Wahl wird eine enge Kiste sein = this election is tipped to be a cliffhanger/a squeaker
viele verdrossene Wähler distanzieren/entfremden sich von den Volksparteien, die nicht mehr liefern wie früher = citizens/people are drifting away/breaking away from major parties; some voters feel alienated/estranged from the main-stream political system; a lot of voters are disenchanted with the main stream parties; politicians are sometimes held in contempt by dissatisfied voters; some voters are beginning to see/look at the political class with distaste; no wonder hundreds of thousands of citizens have abandoned the traditional parties because their values and standards are failing them; many government policies and actions are unpopular with voters; some voters are beset by a sense of fatigue/apathy when required to go to the polls; in some countries regular folks just tune out of politics or don’t even bother to vote at all
große Parteien vertreten mitunter die Interessen der Industrie- und der Finanzmagnaten oder z. B. der Ölbarone und der Rüstungsindustrie und sind nicht wirklich darauf bedacht, die Bedürfnisse der normalen Wähler zu berücksichtigen = major parties sometimes represent the interests of, say, industry and financial magnates, the arms industry as well as the oil barons, and are not really intent on heeding the needs of ordinary voters
manchmal verprellen Parteien ihre eigenen Wähler, anderseits versuchen sie es zu vermeiden = sometimes parties blindside/anger their own constituencies/voters, at the same time though, they also try to avoid blindsiding/angering/upsetting them for fear of electoral backlash (such as proposing a social or political change that could elicit a strong/violent reaction); certain political parties give voters from minority group all too often the cold shoulder
demzufolge gibt es auch verärgerte oder unzufriedene Wähler, wie z.B. die sogenannten “Wutbürger”, die sich politisch an den Rand gedrängt fühlen und deshalb ihre Stimme den Parteien geben, die nicht dem Mainstream angehören = as a result, there are also disgruntled or dissatisfied voters, who feel politically marginalized and therefore cast an “up yours vote”, which is tantamount to voting for parties that do not belong to the mainstream
die diesjährigen Präsidentschaftswahlen werden die Nation mit Sicherheit noch mehr spalten als zuvor = this year’s presidential election is certain to leave the nation even more estranged/alienated/divided than before
in den USA entscheiden in der Regel Swing/Battleground-Staaten (weil die Wähler mal für die eine Partei, mal für die andere votieren) die Wahl = in the US swing/battleground states (because they may swing from one party to the other) usually decide the outcome of the election
unzufriedene junge Wähler/Bürger greifen zur Wut-Stimme/werden zu Protestwählern = younger voters turn to an angry/a protest ballot; dissatisfied citizen cast an “up-yours” vote; angry electorate voters punish local candidate at the polls
keine Diskussionen und keinen Streit, Wähler sehnen Lösungen herbei = no more fights/arguments or conflict fatigue, voters want solutions
einige Wähler sehnen sich nach Politikern, die anders geprägt sind, wie zum Beispiel Querdenker, die etwas bewegen wollen und bodenständig sind = some voters are longing for a new brand of politicians, such as outsiders who are off-the-wall, principled, unconventional and daring
es gibt einige Querdenker in der Bundesrepublik, die gegen das Establishment aufmucken/protestieren = there is a certain number of fringe dwellers /out of left field rebels/unorthodox mavericks/anti-establishment extremists (similar to the hippy revolutioners in the 70’s) in Germany, who stage protest marches against established political norms/conventional thinking (literally “Querdenker” means “lateral thinker”, however, this term has gained currency as a negative connotation for a certain non-conformist group of individuals/trouble-makers) ); in the 80’s many hippies lived in close-knit sectarian/religious communities or in small towns in order to protest/push back against the establishment
erste Wahlergebnisse liegen vor = results are starting to trickle in/dribble in
die Wahl ist noch nicht entschieden, es ist eine Hänge-/Zitterpartie; momentan führt die Wahl zu einem Patt = the election is shaping up as a toss up/a nail-biter/a cliffhanger; the contest is heading for a photo finish/is on a knife-edge/hangs in the balance; at this stage the election results are too close to call because too many votes/ballots are still outstanding/uncounted; right now the two candidates are still in a dead heat
Wirtschaft stellt sich auf Sieg der Opposition ein = economy braces/girds for win of the opposition
Wahlergebnis steht noch in den Sternen = the outcome of the election is anybody’s guess/up for grabs/a toss up
nach den ersten Hochrechnungen wird die Regierungspartei die Wahl nicht gewinnen = according to the latest exit polls/projections/ predictions/forward estimates the incumbent government will probably/presumably not be returned for another term; SPD/Labour candidate is projected/forecast to win race for prime minister/governor
Vorentscheidung zugunsten der Opposition fällt nach Gewinn in wichtigem Bundesstaat = after winning a key state the opposition party takes flight/is in the driver’s seat/is tipped to win the election
die Herausforderung für die derzeitige Regierung schien ohnehin ins Stocken zu geraten, da die Wähler sie bei der letzten Landeswahl in Sachen Wirtschaftsmanagement und Migrationspolitik abgestraft haben = the challenge of the current federal administration seems to be losing altitude/faltering as voters in the latest state election thump them on the economy and migration policies
es steht noch nicht fest, wer im Senat gewonnen hat = the senate race hasn’t been called yet; control of the Senate hangs in the balance/ dangles by/on a thin thread; party seems to make the necessary gains to clinch/grab control of the Senate
amtierender Kandidat hat noch nicht seine Niederlage eingeräumt = incumbent candidate has not yet conceded defeat
Regierungspartei bemüht sich, die dilettantische Wahlkampfleistung aufzuarbeiten = government officials are trying hard to second-guess/weather the clumsy campaign disaster
es ist einfach, das Management des Wahlkampfes zu kritisieren, jedoch wir haben einige gravierende Fehler gemacht = it’s easy to second-guess the management of the election campaign, however we did make some serious mistakes
wir müssen uns von unserem eintönigen Wahlkampf erholen = our first move is to rally from the doldrums/wake from campaign lethargy
Regierungspartei bekommt den Blues nach der Wahlniederlage = it’s a new reality as the governing party needs to drown the sorrows visited upon them
Regierungspartei bezichtigt Opposition der Wahlmanipulation = incumbent/sitting government party accuses opposition of vote rigging/ tampering with the election
unterlegene/r Partei/Kandidat versucht/strebt an, das Wahlergebnis zu kippen = citing vote count fraud defeated party/candidate attempts to flip/overturn/reverse the election results
Wahlergebnisse sind rechtens/werden ratifiziert = the election results have been certified/affirmed
die Leistung des Wahlkampfleiters wird mit viel Lob bedacht = campaign manager masterminds/engineers an outstanding campaign and is highly praised as the architect of the election victory/success
Wahlsieg wird ausgiebig gefeiert = tributes pour in/flow from all quarters as party members bathe in celebrations
die neue Regierung könnte viele der Vorzeige-Errungenschaften, die der ehemalige Präsident in den Bereichen saubere Energie, Krankenversicherung und Außenpolitik gesetzlich verabschiedet hatte, aushebeln = the new government may doom/gut many of the former president’s signature legislative achievements, such as in clean energy, health insurance and foreign policy
die Bundeswahl war eine Zäsur/eine Schicksalsentscheidung = that federal election was a game-changer/a seismic shift/a trigger event in the party’s history; the election was all about change; the vote marked a sea change/new age/era for the opposition; the election will shake/alter the balance of power; election results will impact/is very consequential for future generations
gewählter Präsident/Kanzler beschwört Einheit, Zusammenarbeit, Freundschaft und Sozialfrieden in allen Ländern der Europäischen Union = president-elect touts/urges/heralds/extols/lauds/calls for/pushes for/shows/displays/talks up unity, cooperation, friendship and social peace in all countries of the European Union; the new leader talked up her/his determination to broaden a deep relationship/ alignment with all EU countries
der neue Präsident/die Parteiführung lässt sich von seinen Anhängern feiern = the president-elect was enveloped in a rousing/warm/ thunderous reception by his supporters; people crowded around the party leaders
Gewinner genießt Bad in der Menge = the winning candidate basked in the adulation/attention of his supporters/fans/admirers; politicians always enjoy pressing the flesh/backslapping his supporters
einige Leute haben einen Blick auf den Wahlgewinner in der Menge erhascht = a few people were able to catch a glimpse/snatch (or sneak) a glance of the president-elect in the crowd
Wie hoch war die Wahlbeteiligung? = How was the voter turnout? How many people showed up to vote?
nach dem Wahlsieg hat neu gewählter Präsident vor, weitreichende/tiefgründige Reformen durchzuführen = after winning the election the president-elect intends to push through/carry through many political reforms
nach der Wahl geht es los mit dem Postengeschacher = after the election there will be a lot of political horse-trading
da unsere Partei nicht über die Mehrheit verfügt, das Land allein zu regieren, haben wir den Auftrag bekommen, eine Koalition zu bilden = since our party does lacks the majority to govern the nation on its own, we were given/received a mandate to form a coalition
eine Neuauflage der Großkoalition könnte zu Stande kommen = a new incarnation of the grand coalition is in the pipeline
Sondierungsgespräche zwischen den Parteien zwecks Bildung einer Koalition finden statt = political parties are conducting consultation /preliminary talks aimed at lining up/forming a coalition
manchmal ist eine kleine Parteien das Zünglein an der Waage bei der Bildung einer Koalition = a small party is sometimes seen as kingmaker when coalitions are formed
“es ist echt eine tolle Kombination, die Grünen mit der FDP” (ein wenig sarkastisch gemeint) = “these two parties forge a wonderful alliance”, i.e. the Greens and the Liberal Democrats find common ground and thus make strange bedfellows (slightly jocular)
bei den Koalitionsgesprächen sehen Verhandlungsparteien Schnittmengen in vielen Bereichen = negotiating coalition parties seem to be on the same page in many areas/on many issues; there are a lot of commonalities between the two parties
der Koalitionsvertrag ist noch unausgegoren/halbgar
= the coalition road map still has to go the distance/is still underdone/undercooked
bei den Koalitionsgesprächen zwischen beiden Hauptparteien geht es jetzt ans Eingemachte = both major parties double down on their efforts/quest to cut a coalition deal
nach zweieimonatigen Koalitionsverhandlungen zeichnet sich eine Lösung ab = after two months of political drift a coalition has finally been crafted/agreed upon
der neue Kanzler stellt sein Bundeskabinett vor =
newly-elected PM unveils frontbench team (i.e. his ministers)
wegen Behinderung bei Amtsübergabe übt neu gewählter Präsident scharfe Kritik an amtierendem Präsidenten
= president-elect hits out at sitting/incumbent president for stonewalling/obstructing the handover/transition
nachdem die Grünen so ein hervorragendes Wahlergebnis eingefahren haben, springen viele Wähler/Trittbrettfahrer auf den Klimaveränderungszug auf = after the Greens fared so well in the latest polls many voters are riding/hanging on the Green’s coattails as well as jumping/climbing on the climate change bandwagon
Grüne genießen/Arbeiterpartei genießt ihren Erfolg = in the latest election the grass got a lot greener for the Green/Labor Party
bei der nächsten Wahl könnten die Grünen durchstarten = the Green Party might come out swinging in/may slam-dunk the next election/ seems to be on the brink of power
dieses Wahlergebnis ist eine Zeitenwende/ein Dammbruch, die/der die politische Landschaft des Landes neu definieren soll = the outcome of the election turns a page on an era; this election result is a big watershed/a turning point/a historic pivot/a tectonic shift that will herald the change in the nation’s political fate; at the end of the day the outcome of the balloting was a catalyst for the major parties
für den Senat ist das Endergebnis ist noch offen = many races for the Senate are too early to call
die letzten drei Sitze werden erst in einer Nachwahl vergeben = the last three seats are still in play and will be contested in a by-election
es könnte zu einer Stichwahl kommen = the vote/election seems to be headed for a run-off; runoff looms in presidential election
nächsten Monat findet noch eine Stichwahl um einen Sitz im Senat statt = next month a run-off election/race will be held for the last seat in the Federal Senate
