March 28, 2023 - 2:50pm
If Germany and France are the two pillars of European integration, the EU has stormy times ahead. Paris and other major French cities have been roiled by protests over President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform, leading to, among other things, the cancellation of a planned state visit by Charles III due to security concerns.
The ongoing cost-of-living crisis that started 14 months ago is now beginning to trickle from the economic realm to the political, and it could turn ugly for those in power. After an unexpected victory for the Farmer-Citizen Movement — only founded in 2019 — in the recent Dutch provincial elections, as well as the troubles in France, Germany could be next on the list.
While the Germans are not known for their proclivity to protest, their signs of discomfort with the current political leadership can no longer be ignored. The only true protest party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), is gaining ground in the polls, and even a new party from the Left could have a realistic chance in future elections. There are multiple reasons for this, but one is clearly the priorities set by Olaf Scholz and his coalition partners. Nothing made this more obvious than Sunday’s referendum on tighter climate goals in Berlin.
The Greens’ policies in the capital have motivated the municipal government to get additional power for the pursuit of climate neutrality by 2030. In order to make this ambitious goal legally binding, the people of Berlin would have to give their consent but — alas — they refused to do so. Just 35.8% of eligible voters went to the polls, and only half of those were in favour of more stringent rules in the name of climate change. The referendum failed to achieve the necessary majority for it to be binding by over 200,000 votes, offering a very limp endorsement of the new policy.
As the Swiss newspaper NZZ has pointed out, the German political and media classes focus on issues like these that are of marginal importance for most of the population. And some members of the Government are even cottoning on that they might be somewhat out of touch, with the FDP, the smallest coalition member, attempting U-turns in some areas. For instance, the end of the internal combustion engine — an industry tied closely to over 800,000 jobs and which remains crucial to Germany’s identity as one of the world’s leading car manufacturers — has come under renewed scrutiny, much to the chagrin of other EU members who considered it a done deal.
Simultaneously, Scholz’s Social Democrats are struggling to sustain their image as the party of the working class. Inflation is significantly up, so it was only a matter of time before labour unions re-evaluated their wage demands. Some of the largest unions are demanding an increase of over 10%, with their paymasters only willing to concede half of that.
Join the discussion
Join like minded readers that support our journalism by becoming a paid subscriber
To join the discussion in the comments, become a paid subscriber.
Join like minded readers that support our journalism, read unlimited articles and enjoy other subscriber-only benefits.
SubscribeGot stuck in Hamburg a week ago when the security staff at Hamburg, Hannover and Berlin airports had a “Warnstreik” or whatever that is in English (wildcat strike? Token strike?). Very annoying. Have a sinking feeling I will never see any compensation from Lufthansa.
Also got slightly overtaken by my own British island mentality this week when announcements about German rail strikes and their potential effects on domestic transport started to be made in Austria. I instinctively thought: “Why would that affect us?” Then I remembered: IT’S BECAUSE AUSTRIA ISN’T AN ISLAND YOU DIPSTICK.
You can take the girl out of Britain but you clearly can’t take the Britain out of the girl.
Got stuck in Hamburg a week ago when the security staff at Hamburg, Hannover and Berlin airports had a “Warnstreik” or whatever that is in English (wildcat strike? Token strike?). Very annoying. Have a sinking feeling I will never see any compensation from Lufthansa.
Also got slightly overtaken by my own British island mentality this week when announcements about German rail strikes and their potential effects on domestic transport started to be made in Austria. I instinctively thought: “Why would that affect us?” Then I remembered: IT’S BECAUSE AUSTRIA ISN’T AN ISLAND YOU DIPSTICK.
You can take the girl out of Britain but you clearly can’t take the Britain out of the girl.
Don’t these fool workers realize the government spent their 10% pay rise on covid years ago! The money is spent – now the workers pay it back through the stealth tax called inflation. You endure the inflation because money printing devalued the money – that is how government spends more than it takes in.
Striking for more pay in inflation is chasing the dragon……the inflation will chase your pay rise by growing faster….you are dogs chasing your tails. The sad part is those unable to coerce the employers for pay rises – they get eaten alive in the wage rise – inflation Death-Spiral you strikers drive.
Biden blowing up your cheap gas the entire Germany economy rode on – like the air holding up the hovercraft – it is gone, and your ship of industry is stuck in the mud, and no pay rise will fix that..haha You sanction your cheap energy supplier – you give weapons to the ones they fight?
An idiot would see this coming! The big question is if German is to sink, with the dead man walking, the EU, into a new Dark Ages. I suspect the odds are good – and the citizens could unite and save it – But NO – every man for him self, strike if you have the power – vote in more free money if you do not. Dogs in mangers…haha, enjoy your Great Reset.
Don’t these fool workers realize the government spent their 10% pay rise on covid years ago! The money is spent – now the workers pay it back through the stealth tax called inflation. You endure the inflation because money printing devalued the money – that is how government spends more than it takes in.
Striking for more pay in inflation is chasing the dragon……the inflation will chase your pay rise by growing faster….you are dogs chasing your tails. The sad part is those unable to coerce the employers for pay rises – they get eaten alive in the wage rise – inflation Death-Spiral you strikers drive.
Biden blowing up your cheap gas the entire Germany economy rode on – like the air holding up the hovercraft – it is gone, and your ship of industry is stuck in the mud, and no pay rise will fix that..haha You sanction your cheap energy supplier – you give weapons to the ones they fight?
An idiot would see this coming! The big question is if German is to sink, with the dead man walking, the EU, into a new Dark Ages. I suspect the odds are good – and the citizens could unite and save it – But NO – every man for him self, strike if you have the power – vote in more free money if you do not. Dogs in mangers…haha, enjoy your Great Reset.
There are a few interesting DW and Arte TV documentaries (available on YouTube) exposing the myth of German prosperity. They also have a cost of living crisis with food banks, homelessness, wealth/poverty divide and thwarted ambitions.
If anyone is interested here are a couple of good examples:
The Newly Poor in Germany I ARTE.tv Documentary
Working But Poor I ARTE.tv Documentary
Rich and poor – The growing wealth gap in Germany I DW Documentary
There are a few interesting DW and Arte TV documentaries (available on YouTube) exposing the myth of German prosperity. They also have a cost of living crisis with food banks, homelessness, wealth/poverty divide and thwarted ambitions.
If anyone is interested here are a couple of good examples:
The Newly Poor in Germany I ARTE.tv Documentary
Working But Poor I ARTE.tv Documentary
Rich and poor – The growing wealth gap in Germany I DW Documentary
This is not a good time for Green.
No. However, they reap what they sow!
I have always been a supporter of the environment and done my best not to muck the earth up. That said, the Greens (in all their shades), have been duped by all and sundry and especially became a blunt tool to damage the West by the Russians and the communist bloc. They also took stupid young people and warped their ill-informed minds to hate anything the West was doing – totally ignoring what was being done by their paymasters. And that continues too today.
Btw, I am not exonerating those greedy careless corporation that exploited and polluted without conscious.
We grew up on a plot and had no refuse removal so used common sense to keep our environment healthy and clean. Glass that could not be used again was crushed into a 44 gallon drum and when full was transported to area where it was then collected by the glass smelters. Plastic, which fortunately was not abused as it is today, was incinerated with other stuff (tin) in a deep pit on the plot.
This was in the mid 60’s.
“It isn’t easy being green” – Kermit the Frog
No. However, they reap what they sow!
I have always been a supporter of the environment and done my best not to muck the earth up. That said, the Greens (in all their shades), have been duped by all and sundry and especially became a blunt tool to damage the West by the Russians and the communist bloc. They also took stupid young people and warped their ill-informed minds to hate anything the West was doing – totally ignoring what was being done by their paymasters. And that continues too today.
Btw, I am not exonerating those greedy careless corporation that exploited and polluted without conscious.
We grew up on a plot and had no refuse removal so used common sense to keep our environment healthy and clean. Glass that could not be used again was crushed into a 44 gallon drum and when full was transported to area where it was then collected by the glass smelters. Plastic, which fortunately was not abused as it is today, was incinerated with other stuff (tin) in a deep pit on the plot.
This was in the mid 60’s.
“It isn’t easy being green” – Kermit the Frog
This is not a good time for Green.
hahaa Awaiting for Approval – I guess that means if they approve the sentiment I express..haha because there is nothing else which offends in my post….I know it is such a cliche, but INGSOC rules, haha
Someone must have clicked the red flag on you recently. The same happens to me on every post now. Nothing like mindless censorship.
Someone must have clicked the red flag on you recently. The same happens to me on every post now. Nothing like mindless censorship.
hahaa Awaiting for Approval – I guess that means if they approve the sentiment I express..haha because there is nothing else which offends in my post….I know it is such a cliche, but INGSOC rules, haha
The “cost of living crisis” aka de-industrialisation / net zero / electrification agenda has been brought upon us by hapless and illiterate leaders who live on short-termedness and stupid promises. The world is full of smart citizens, intelligence and resources, bountiful in every way except the leadership benches of the Atlanticists.
AKA printing trillions of dollars/euros to wallpaper over the effects of Covid lockdown.
And these illiterate and innumerate leaders are now claiming to save us from the ‘cost of living crisis’ that they caused (I’m looking at you, Rishi) by destroying our economies with ever higher interest rates,
Arsonists posing as firemen.
AKA printing trillions of dollars/euros to wallpaper over the effects of Covid lockdown.
And these illiterate and innumerate leaders are now claiming to save us from the ‘cost of living crisis’ that they caused (I’m looking at you, Rishi) by destroying our economies with ever higher interest rates,
Arsonists posing as firemen.
The “cost of living crisis” aka de-industrialisation / net zero / electrification agenda has been brought upon us by hapless and illiterate leaders who live on short-termedness and stupid promises. The world is full of smart citizens, intelligence and resources, bountiful in every way except the leadership benches of the Atlanticists.
The German government has astonishing absurdities like “the end of the internal combustion engine” as actual policy priorites – and they wonder why the citizens are about to burst into mass protests?
Do these idiots not live in the real world?
End the internal combustion engine….and replace it with what exactly?
UBI, vastly restricted personal freedom and 21st century serfdom?
No thanks.
The German government has astonishing absurdities like “the end of the internal combustion engine” as actual policy priorites – and they wonder why the citizens are about to burst into mass protests?
Do these idiots not live in the real world?
End the internal combustion engine….and replace it with what exactly?
UBI, vastly restricted personal freedom and 21st century serfdom?
No thanks.
You’d have to have a heart of stone not to laugh
You’d have to have a heart of stone not to laugh