Germany megathread

[Middle-aged Europe]

Open season on center-left politicians, part 8 (and 9):

Berlin economy minister (and former mayor) Franziska Giffey was physically assaulted and had to be treated in a hospital.

Ah, so was a as-of-now unnamed 47-year old Green politician down in Dresden, although the altercation was so "minor" that a hospitalization wasn't necessary in this case.

[President Johnson]

Open season on center-left politicians, part 8 (and 9):

Berlin economy minister (and former mayor) Franziska Giffey was physically assaulted and had to be treated in a hospital.

Ah, so was a as-of-now unnamed 47-year old Green politician down in Dresden, although the altercation was so "minor" that a hospitalization wasn't necessary in this case.

The perpetrator was a 74 year old sicko who has been detained to a psychatric clinic. Thankfully she's fine again.

[President Johnson]

Major loss for AfD in court today.

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1789975878450942111

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

3.) Minimum Wage, Again
It looks like the SPD and Greens are gearing up to formally endorse a 15 Euro minimum wage by 2026 as part of the 2025 election campaign.

Last year some in the SPD started talking about a 14 Euro minimum wage and several individual politicians have already endorsed 15 Euros. The Greens' federal parliamentary group formally endorsed a 15 Euro minimum wage, as have Die Linke and Ver.di (the trade union). The figures come from the new EU directive about minimum wages, which says that minimum wages should be set at a level of 60% of a country's median income, which works out to just over 14 Euros an hour in 2024, just under 15 in 2025, and just above 15 in 2026.

Forsa released a survey conducted over the past month, asking the general population about their opinion on a 15 Euro minimum wage. Overall, 57% are in support of another Bundestag law to raise the minimum wage to 15 Euros an hour, 38% would prefer to continue the current schedule as determined by the minimum wage commission, and 5% were unsure.

Majorities of BSW (67%), SPD (64%), Greens (62%), and AfD (56%) voters are in favor of raising the minimum wage with a law, while only 42% of CDU voters and 35% of FDP voters support it (53% and 62% supported the current schedule).

The SPD and Greens view the minimum wage not only as socially just, but also a vote winner for election time.

...aaaaaaand Scholz endorses a 15 Euro minimum wage. He wants a phase-in, first raising the minimum wage to 14 Euros an hour to 15, similar to the phase-in during 2022.

It's only a matter of time before the SPD and Greens adopt a 15 Euro minimum wage as an official policy proposal and campaign plank for 2025.

[President Johnson]

Major loss for AfD in court today.

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1789975878450942111

Aaaand ... another defeat. Höcke fined 13k Euros for using a Nazi slogan. He claimed that he didn't know about that.

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1790433385720033511

[Middle-aged Europe]

He claimed that he didn't know about that.

HE'S A FRIGGIN HISTORY TEACHER.

[President Johnson]

More bad news for AfD: The Bundestag has revoked immunity of two AfD members:

- Hannes Gnauck's immunity was rescinded due to a disciplinary investigation during his time in the Bundeswehr, where he is accused of inciting against asylum seekers and foreigners. The Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) classified him as a "suspected case of right-wing extremism" in 2020. Gnauck, who is also the national chairman of the "Young Alternative", had a uniform and service ban imposed on him by the Bundeswehr. The disciplinary proceedings had been suspended since he entered the Bundestag in 2021. Gnauck suspects a connection to the upcoming EU election and believes the timing of the immunity lifting is questionable.

- The General Prosecutor's Office in Munich has initiated investigations into AfD Bundestag member Petr Bystron for suspected bribery and money laundering, conducting searches at multiple locations including Bystron's office in Berlin, properties in Mallorca, and in various districts in Bavaria. Bystron's immunity was lifted by the Bundestag prior to the searches. There are allegations that Bystron received money as part of a Russian influence operation, with hints of a cash exchange in a car. Bystron denies the accusations, while the AfD leadership is hoping for swift resolution to the situation. Additionally, there are allegations against another AfD candidate, Maximilian Krah, and his longtime employee Jian G., who was arrested for alleged espionage for China. The investigations are ongoing, with no concrete evidence presented yet for the claims against Bystron.

[Middle-aged Europe]

More bad news for AfD: The Bundestag has revoked immunity of two AfD members:

- Hannes Gnauck's immunity was rescinded due to a disciplinary investigation during his time in the Bundeswehr, where he is accused of inciting against asylum seekers and foreigners. The Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) classified him as a "suspected case of right-wing extremism" in 2020. Gnauck, who is also the national chairman of the "Young Alternative", had a uniform and service ban imposed on him by the Bundeswehr. The disciplinary proceedings had been suspended since he entered the Bundestag in 2021. Gnauck suspects a connection to the upcoming EU election and believes the timing of the immunity lifting is questionable.

- The General Prosecutor's Office in Munich has initiated investigations into AfD Bundestag member Petr Bystron for suspected bribery and money laundering, conducting searches at multiple locations including Bystron's office in Berlin, properties in Mallorca, and in various districts in Bavaria. Bystron's immunity was lifted by the Bundestag prior to the searches. There are allegations that Bystron received money as part of a Russian influence operation, with hints of a cash exchange in a car. Bystron denies the accusations, while the AfD leadership is hoping for swift resolution to the situation. Additionally, there are allegations against another AfD candidate, Maximilian Krah, and his longtime employee Jian G., who was arrested for alleged espionage for China. The investigations are ongoing, with no concrete evidence presented yet for the claims against Bystron.

ILLIGAL WITCHUNT!!!!

[Estrella]

Looks like the remains of Die Linke think their only way back to relevance is to be bigger vatniks than Wagenknecht. What's strange is that this charge is led by a man who was until now one of the party's very few pro-Ukraine figures and even supported weapon deliveries.

https://twitter.com/die_linke_th/status/1791377429979648496

"My dream is that it is enshrined in our constitution that no weapons are delivered anywhere from our country, from Germany," says our Minister President Bodo Ramelow

[CumbrianLefty]

Ah well, I'm sure that strategy will achieve all the success it deserves.

[Middle-aged Europe]

There's apparently now - a bit out of the blue - a Chancellor candidate debate for 2025 within the SPD.

Greens and CDU have that debate too, but they're not in the position that they already have a Chancellor right now.

The debate is about "Scholz or (defence minister) Pistorius?", the reasoning being that Boris Pistorius is the most popular (only popular?) cabinet member at the moment. Former SPD leader Franz Müntefering has now said that this question isn't settled yet, actually.

[Storr]

It's good to see SPD ahead of AfD once again:

https://twitter.com/Wahlen_DE/status/1793958220618145912

[CumbrianLefty]

It has been observed that the international media seem rather less interested in covering the AfD's fall than they were its "inevitable and inexorable" rise.

Funny that.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Today in German Nazism news: A video from an upper-class party on upper-class vacation island Sylt showing a crowd of affluent people singing "Germany for Germans, foreigners out" and some of them apparently doing the Hitler salute, went viral.

The blond-haired main girl featured prominently in the foreground of the video has not been identified by name, although her employer, Hamburg-based Instagram influencer Melina Karl, has announced her dismissal.

[President Johnson]

It's good to see SPD ahead of AfD once again:

https://x.com/Wahlen_DE/status/1793958220618145912

Still not good enough, and depressing that a third would vote for the party that's mainly responsible for Germany's problems today. But midterm polling in Germany - both at the federal and state level - is more useless than current US presidential polling. There has always been a strong shift towards in the incumbent in the final weeks of a campaign. Schröder also trailed for the most part of his term, even by twenty percent and more and still pulled it off in 2002 and came pretty damn close in 2005.

[lfromnj]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/germany-uproar-over-racist-video-from-island-of-sylt/ar-BB1n2pap?ocid=BingNewsSearch

Police investigating video where Germans at a rich party island sang Outsiders out and Germany for Germans along with one guy faking a Hitler Stache and giving a salute.

[Germany1994]

It's good to see SPD ahead of AfD once again:

https://x.com/Wahlen_DE/status/1793958220618145912

Still not good enough, and depressing that a third would vote for the party that's mainly responsible for Germany's problems today. But midterm polling in Germany - both at the federal and state level - is more useless than current US presidential polling. There has always been a strong shift towards in the incumbent in the final weeks of a campaign. Schröder also trailed for the most part of his term, even by twenty percent and more and still pulled it off in 2002 and came pretty damn close in 2005.

Are you writing this again and again because you really believe Scholz can do this or simply because you have to be optimistic as an SPD member??

[CumbrianLefty]

The historic polling trends in Germany are what they are. That does not alter the reality that Scholz has been something of a disappointment on the whole - but it ain't over till its over.

[President Johnson]

It's good to see SPD ahead of AfD once again:

https://x.com/Wahlen_DE/status/1793958220618145912

Still not good enough, and depressing that a third would vote for the party that's mainly responsible for Germany's problems today. But midterm polling in Germany - both at the federal and state level - is more useless than current US presidential polling. There has always been a strong shift towards in the incumbent in the final weeks of a campaign. Schröder also trailed for the most part of his term, even by twenty percent and more and still pulled it off in 2002 and came pretty damn close in 2005.

Are you writing this again and again because you really believe Scholz can do this or simply because you have to be optimistic as an SPD member??

Nobody thought Scholz had a shot in the spring of 2021. And next time he's running as an incumbent, most likely against Merz, who's not the strongest candidate. I definitely believe that he can win reelection. Whether he will is a different question. Way too early for predictions.

[SuzerainOfSwat]

https://freespeechunion.org/young-afd-politician-convicted-for-publishing-gang-rape-statistics-in-connection-with-afghan-migration/

Does the Afd suck? Yes, but I don’t think you should be punished for using official government statistics.

Also this horrible quote from an SPD minister, One such measure is to freeze the bank accounts of those found to have donated money to any group the government declares to be “far-right.”

“No one who donates to a right-wing extremist party should remain undetected,” she explained, adding: “Those who mock the state must deal with a strong state.”

[Middle-aged Europe]

https://freespeechunion.org/young-afd-politician-convicted-for-publishing-gang-rape-statistics-in-connection-with-afghan-migration/

Does the Afd suck? Yes, but I don’t think you should be punished for using official government statistics.

Also this horrible quote from an SPD minister, One such measure is to freeze the bank accounts of those found to have donated money to any group the government declares to be “far-right.”

“No one who donates to a right-wing extremist party should remain undetected,” she explained, adding: “Those who mock the state must deal with a strong state.”

She wasn't convicted for "using official government statistics", but for insinuating that a plan to get 200 Afghan staffers who had worked for the German Armed Forces to Hamburg after the Taliban takeover would cause "gang rapes" in the city.

[SuzerainOfSwat]

https://freespeechunion.org/young-afd-politician-convicted-for-publishing-gang-rape-statistics-in-connection-with-afghan-migration/

Does the Afd suck? Yes, but I don’t think you should be punished for using official government statistics.

Also this horrible quote from an SPD minister, One such measure is to freeze the bank accounts of those found to have donated money to any group the government declares to be “far-right.”

“No one who donates to a right-wing extremist party should remain undetected,” she explained, adding: “Those who mock the state must deal with a strong state.”

She wasn't convicted for "using official government statistics", but for insinuating that a plan to get 200 Afghan staffers who had worked for the German Armed Forces to Hamburg after the Taliban takeover would cause "gang rapes" in the city.

But uhh… the statistics back up that claim. I’m assuming you’ve never been to Afghanistan, but some of, not all of course, of the Afghans working with and for ISAF forces in Afghanistan were some terrible people.

[Amanda Huggenkiss]

https://freespeechunion.org/young-afd-politician-convicted-for-publishing-gang-rape-statistics-in-connection-with-afghan-migration/

Does the Afd suck? Yes, but I don’t think you should be punished for using official government statistics.

Also this horrible quote from an SPD minister, One such measure is to freeze the bank accounts of those found to have donated money to any group the government declares to be “far-right.”

“No one who donates to a right-wing extremist party should remain undetected,” she explained, adding: “Those who mock the state must deal with a strong state.”

She wasn't convicted for "using official government statistics", but for insinuating that a plan to get 200 Afghan staffers who had worked for the German Armed Forces to Hamburg after the Taliban takeover would cause "gang rapes" in the city.

But uhh… the statistics back up that claim. I’m assuming you’ve never been to Afghanistan, but some of, not all of course, of the Afghans working with and for ISAF forces in Afghanistan were some terrible people.

The court believed that she phrased it in a way which insinuated that all of those Afghan staffers were gang rapists.