by Alessandra Cardone
ROME Nike Air VaporMax Plus Men's White , Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Would Germany's elections results affect the political equilibrium in Italy, the next European country to head to election in few months? Italian analysts and media mulled over the issue in the aftermath of the vote held on Sunday, which granted Chancellor Angela Merkel her fourth term in a row.
Merkel's conservative CDUCSU bloc remained the largest force in the parliament, with 33 percent of the vote. Nonetheless, it suffered its heaviest setback in decades.
An even larger defeat struck the major center-left party, the Social Democrats SPD, which dropped to 20.5 percent from 25.7 percent in the previous election in 2013. The two forces had been leading the country for the past four years through a so-called grand coalition.
As support for mainstream parties weakened -- as already registered in other countries within the European Union (EU) -- anti-immigration and euro-sceptic Alternative fuer Deutschland (AFD) party scored the best result ever for a far-right movement in Germany after World War II. With 12.6 percent of vote Nike Air VaporMax Plus Men's Yellow Black , it will enter the parliament for the first time as the third largest force.
Was the same trend likely to repeat itself in Italy, which was going to hold parliamentary elections next spring?
"I think the German vote may indeed affect the next campaign in Italy, in terms of more emphasis given on the need to reform the EU," Federico Niglia, professor of international relations and history with LUISS University in Rome, told Xinhua. "Each political force, of course Nike Air Max TN Plus Ultra Women's Black Pink , would address this issue according to its orientation."
Moderate, pro-European parties would push harder for a reform of some EU policies, in order to better address Italian citizens' needs and worries, Niglia explained.
Their solution for slowing down the populist wave among the electorate (Italian and European) would be to call for "more Europe", not less, but better functioning.
This position would be represented at most by Italy's center-left Democratic Party (PD), which was leading the current coalition government.
On the contrary Nike Air Max Plus TN Ultra Women's White Pink , euro-sceptic (or simply anti-euro) parties would feel time has come "to give the final push" against the European Union, according to Niglia.
Strongest on this front would be Italy's populist Five Star Movement (M5S) -- currently the largest opposition force, and neck-to-neck with center-left PD in latest opinion polls -- and anti-immigration Northern League party.
The outcome of the German vote would possibly affect Italian parties' strategies in another way, leading business daily Il Sole 24 commented on Tuesday.
"A major topic will be the 'grand coalition', for which the two main German parties (CDUCSU and SPD) have paid a high price, and especially German Social Democrats," political analyst Lina Palmerini wrote.
This was expected to be the "big taboo" of the Italian campaign Nike Air Max 97 Plus Men's Racer Pink Black , according to Il Sole. "The perspective (of a grand coalition) will be dismissed from both the left and the right, putting both sides in troubles."
It would be difficult for leftist and center-left forces, because it was not yet clear what possible alliance able to govern they could form, Palmerini explained.
As for the center-right, it would struggle as well, considering the "tight negotiations" ongoing between former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's center-right Forza Italia (FI) party and the Northern League.
Whatever steps Italian parties will decide to take, however Nike Air Max Plus 97 Men's Blue White , some dynamics seen in Germany were to be repeated in Italy's next campaign, according to the head of the European Program with Rome-based Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), Antonio Villafranca.
"The trend towards the weakening of mainstream parties has just emerged in Germany, as it did in other countries in recent years, and it is likely to develop in Italy as well," Villafranca told Xinhua.
"Current opinion polls related to the next general elections show in fact a condition of wide fragmentation within our political landscape," he explained. "As a result Nike Air VaporMax Plus Men's Blue , it will be probably difficult to form a government, whatever side is going to win elections."
China's two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na opened a new 15,000-seat stadium at the -Wuhan Open in Central China's Hubei Province on Sunday to huge cheers from her hometown fans.
The new stadium has been built on the back of Li's career success - she was the first Asian to win a Grand Slam -singles title - that saw the popularity of tennis surge in China.
Huge applause echoed through the stadium as Li, now retired, stepped onto the court wearing a red dress and was joined by the tournament's defending champion Petra Kvitova to open the new stadium officially.
Similar in capacity to Wimbledon's center court, the new stadium is dwarfed only by the US Open's Arthur Ashe stadium which has a capacity of 23,000. It has a retractable roof and a metal and glass structure reminiscent of the iconic Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing Nike Air VaporMax Plus Grape White Purple Men's , the centerpiece of the 2008 Olympic Games.
Czech Kvitova, the world No.4, won the inaugural -Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Wuhan Open last year, and is joined for the 2015 edition by 18 of the world's top 20.
"I am very happy to be here again and the stadium looks wonderful and I will try my best to fight for the title," -Kvitova said.
She added that Li, who was a close friend when they were both on the circuit, has promised to let her meet her new daughter Alisa Nike Air VaporMax Plus Green Men's , who was born in June. Mention of the baby's name prompted more excited applause from the crowd.
Li, who has rarely appeared in public since retiring and giving birth, said, "One year ago, I came here for the farewell ceremony, now one year later, I'm standing on this court as a mother."
During her career Nike Air VaporMax Plus Sunset Men's Black Orange , Li -famously opted out of China's State sports sys. Wholesale Jerseys From China Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Wholesale NBA Jerseys China Wholesale Throwback Jerseys Wholesale NHL Jerseys China Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale NCAA Jerseys From China Wholesale Basketball Jerseys Wholesale MLB Baseball Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China