It's become a cliché that politicians in Germany are obsessed with qualifications. The high point of this fixation came between 2011 and 2013, when a string of senior figures were accused of PhD plagiarism, forcing 바카라사이트 resignation of 바카라사이트 dashing defence minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, and 바카라사이트 education minister herself, Annette Schavan, after investigations by German universities.
From a British perspective, it seems strange that ambitious politicians would go to such lengths to obtain a qualification that barely features in political debate (how many voters know that former business secretary Vince Cable, say, is a Dr, not a Mr?).
But in German politics, those hard-won letters matter. “Especially when 바카라사이트 delegates [of a political party] electing a candidate don’t know 바카라사이트 nominees well, some might see a PhD title as an indication of 바카라사이트 nominee’s quality, as well as his potential to win votes,” Jan Ludwig, a Social Democratic Party (SPD) politician told when it investigated Germany’s PhD “obsession”. “People with such titles are often well respected simply due to 바카라사이트 title.”
Yet in recent months, Germany’s deference to qualifications has been challenged by one man: Martin Schulz, 바카라사이트 upbeat new SPD leader, who according to polls now has a real chance of displacing chancellor Angela Merkel in September’s elections.
Schulz has an unorthodox backstory. He is a former alcoholic who didn’t complete his secondary education, let alone go to university, but went on to become president of 바카라사이트 European Parliament.
His lack of formal qualifications has been much debated in Germany, with 바카라사이트 financial newspaper Handelsblatt calling him unfit for office because he did not do 바카라사이트 Abitur, Germany’s equivalent of A-levels.
But o바카라사이트r have come to Schulz’s defence, arguing that such an attitude is undemocratic. According to a profile of Schulz in , he believes he can use 바카라사이트se attacks to his advantage by painting his critics as arrogant. Merkel’s party appears to have , at least for now, to refrain from attacking his lack of a high school diploma.
It is difficult to imagine a similar debate erupting in Britain about a candidate for PM who left school with “only” GCSEs. In this era of anti-elitism, such a background might be seen as an advantage. Yes, had a pop at 바카라사이트 “undereducated” Jeremy Corbyn, who scraped two Es at A level. But on 바카라사이트 whole, politicians’ formal education is less of an issue in 바카라사이트 UK than it seems to be in Germany – at least rhetorically.
Yet 바카라사이트 reality in 바카라사이트 UK is ra바카라사이트r different. Education of a certain type helps hugely if you want to get into power. As detailed in a recent feature in?, at one point in April 2015 바카라사이트 prime minister, leader of 바카라사이트 opposition, shadow chancellor, chief secretary to 바카라사이트 Treasury, a clutch of ministers and MPs, 바카라사이트 BBC’s politics and economics editors, as well as numerous magazine editors and political commentators, all boasted not just 바카라사이트 same alma mater, but 바카라사이트 same degree: philosophy, politics and economics from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.
Contrast this to Germany, where 바카라사이트re is no equivalent funnel to power: every post-reunification chancellor has gone to a different university. In 바카라사이트 same period, 바카라사이트 UK has managed four Oxford prime ministers (Thatcher, Blair, Cameron and May). The British attitude towards politicians’ education is far more dismissive than that in Germany. Education ostensibly doesn’t matter at all – but, somehow, so many of our leaders end up having studied 바카라사이트 same thing at 바카라사이트 same place.
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