Literally: “elephant round” / meaning: the debate of political heavyweights after a German Bundestag election
Like everywhere else in the world, politicians in Germany are often compared to animals—and not always in the most flattering way. But every four years, when we call the grandees of the political parties “elephants,” it’s not meant as an insult. Quite the opposite: it’s a nod to their political weight in their respective camps, which is on full display after the Bundestag elections in the so-called Elefantenrunde.
Here, the election winners can bask in their victory and prepare for their role as herd leaders, while the losers often appear noticeably tamer—or, like a wounded animal, stomp their feet and make a lot of noise before fading into political oblivion. The discussions are usually heated, sometimes even chaotic. But at least, representatives of all parties come together at the same table right after the elections—something unthinkable in many other democracies these days.
One of the most infamous Elefantenrunden took place in 2005, when Gerhard Schröder, despite losing the election, sat there like the undisputed alpha bull, utterly convinced of his dominance. With his arms crossed and a confident smirk, he trumpeted over Angela Merkel’s claims to the chancellorship, leaving even the usually unshakable journalists momentarily speechless. Spoiler alert: Merkel became chancellor anyway, proving that even the biggest elephant can sometimes be outmaneuvered.
