Germany megathread

[Estrella]

And another FDP moment:

https://twitter.com/derjamesjackson/status/1795840110724092319

[Yeahsayyeah]

"Less investment today means more opportunities tomorrow..." This doesn't make sense.
"Higher taxes today mean more opportunities tomorrow through investment" That's probably not, what the FDP wants to hear..

[AustralianSwingVoter]

"Less investment today means more opportunities tomorrow..." This doesn't make sense.

One of the most fantastically neoliberal statements I've ever heard.

[Yeahsayyeah]

"Less investment today means more opportunities tomorrow..." This doesn't make sense.

One of the most fantastically neoliberal statements I've ever heard.

I don't know whether you are aware, that I was editorializing. The original says "Lower debt today means more opportunities tomorrow. For me and my generation"

But the biggest point of critique concerning the "debt brake" is, that it hampers needed investment in infrastructure and other related things like combating and adapting to climate change, for instance.

[AustralianSwingVoter]

"Less investment today means more opportunities tomorrow..." This doesn't make sense.

One of the most fantastically neoliberal statements I've ever heard.

I don't know whether you are aware, that I was editorializing. The original says "Lower debt today means more opportunities tomorrow. For me and my generation"

My phone’s buggy AI translator came up with something similar, but the sentiment is the same regardless lmao. I mean, it’s already been in place for 15 years, that’s basically a generation, and it hasn’t exactly improved things lmao.

[Storr]

*Pretends to be shocked* Nord Stream II wasn't actually simply "the private sector" at work??!

"Major political scandal brewing in Germany: investigative journalists have found documents apparently showing the complicity of senior politicians in Russian strategic energy schemes, knowingly acting to the detriment of Ukraine, during the Merkel administration."

[kelestian]

Knife attack in Mannheim on anti-islamic activists, several people, including police officer, hospitalized. Perpetrator was shot by Police. Shocking video of the attack can be found on Twitter
https://m.bild.de/regional/baden-wuerttemberg/mannheim-brutaler-messerangriff-auf-islam-kritiker-6659a3c9c370a679ea9df3dc?t_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

[CumbrianLefty]

*Pretends to be shocked* Nord Stream II wasn't actually simply "the private sector" at work??!

"Major political scandal brewing in Germany: investigative journalists have found documents apparently showing the complicity of senior politicians in Russian strategic energy schemes, knowingly acting to the detriment of Ukraine, during the Merkel administration."

A useful reminder that all this nonsense isn't confined to the SPD.

[Mopsus]

Knife attack in Mannheim on anti-islamic activists, several people, including police officer, hospitalized. Perpetrator was shot by Police. Shocking video of the attack can be found on Twitter
https://m.bild.de/regional/baden-wuerttemberg/mannheim-brutaler-messerangriff-auf-islam-kritiker-6659a3c9c370a679ea9df3dc?t_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

The craziest thing about this attack is that the knife-wielding jihadi was actually subdued by one of the bystanders, but then a police officer starting restraining the bystander… and then the jihadi stabbed that officer in the neck.

Pretty funny tbh.

[President Johnson]

Knife attack in Mannheim on anti-islamic activists, several people, including police officer, hospitalized. Perpetrator was shot by Police. Shocking video of the attack can be found on Twitter
https://m.bild.de/regional/baden-wuerttemberg/mannheim-brutaler-messerangriff-auf-islam-kritiker-6659a3c9c370a679ea9df3dc?t_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

It was just reported that the 29-year old police officer has died from his wounds this afternoon. Rest in peace.

[Estrella]

Sure, as Chancellor Merkel was an incompetent, corrupt, cowardly, do-nothing idiot, but at least she's not a literal Russian asset like Schröd— oh.

Merkel withheld information about Russia's intention to blackmail Europe with gas, German outlet reports

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel was aware of Russia's intention to reduce gas supply to blackmail Europe to speed up the Nord Stream 2 pipeline launch but concealed the information, German media outlet Handelsblatt reported on June 6, citing classified documents it had obtained.

Russia aimed to accelerate the introduction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline into service without German authorities' certification by causing a gas deficit in Europe, Handelsblatt said, referring to a 2021 document from the German Economy Ministry. The document also described Russian actions as threatening to cause "dramatic consequences," while the filling of gas storage facilities was called "very slow."

Peter Altmaier, then-German economy minister, obtained the document and informed the cabinet of ministers, according to Handelsblatt. In October 2023, Merkel told the media that she did not see any signs of Russia cutting its gas supply to Europe.

the original Handelsblatt article

[Storr]

She was born in Omsk, Russia in 1982 and as an ethnic German moved to Germany in 1998 under the right to return. So I guess this is a return home more than anything:

"In #Germany, Hamburg city assembly councillor, member of the far-right AfD party Olga Petersen has reportedly fled the country for #Russia.

Petersen is known for publicly supporting Putin's Russia."

https://twitter.com/AlexKokcharov/status/1799776816972108030

[President Johnson]

In an absolute disgraceful and pathetic move, Bundestag Members of Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW, splinter from Die Linke) and almost all AfD members boycotted Volodymyr Zelensky's Bundestag speech today. Zelensky came as a guest to the German Bundestag, thanking Germany for its support since his country was invaded by Russia and dragged into a murderous war. However, the ten members of the Russia-friendly alliance led by Sahra Wagenknecht boycotted Zelensky's speech, showing hypocrisy as they claim to advocate for peaceful negotiations. The AfD, the other pro-Russia party in the Bundestag, also behaves shamefully by insulting Zelensky and refusing to listen to his speech. This behavior is doing Putin's bidding.

https://twitter.com/dwnews/status/1800580561439989855

https://twitter.com/dw_politics/status/1800510960118923510

[buritobr]

Although I think we should be worried about the growth of far-right parties, I think there was too much scary for the 16% for the AfD, in an election which doesn't build a government, the turnout is lower and there is more protest vote.
AfD had already had 12.6% in the federal election of 2017 and declined in 2021. There is no explosive growth trend.

[Amanda Huggenkiss]

Although I think we should be worried about the growth of far-right parties, I think there was too much scary for the 16% for the AfD, in an election which doesn't build a government, the turnout is lower and there is more protest vote.
AfD had already had 12.6% in the federal election of 2017 and declined in 2021. There is no explosive growth trend.

To put this into perspective, the AfD actually LOST votes in Hesse and Bavaria compared to their state elections in late 2023. +5 percent nationally is solid but not "explosive", I'm just relieved that the party was brought down from their 23/22% which they polled in winter.

[CumbrianLefty]

France is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting in this MASSIVE EUROPEAN FAR RIGHT WAVE, aren't they.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Yesterday, Boris Pistorius presented his proposal for a new conscription service that seems to be pretty similar to the system introduced in Sweden back in 2017:

Around 13 years after Germany suspended mass conscription, Defence Minister Boris Pistorus said on Wednesday all men would be obliged to fill out a questionnaire to gauge their suitability for, and interest in, military service upon turning 18. The questionnaire would be optional for women.


It would then select around 10% of those for mustering before narrowing down the selection to the most suitable and motivated to undertake the six-month basic service - with an option to lengthen this by up to 17 months.

This new model aims to increase to 15,000 the number of young people undertaking voluntary military service, a rise of 5,000, in the first year, the ministry said, growing that number year by year.


The aim was to eventually reach 200,000 more reservists, which would enable Germany to swiftly expand its troops to around 460,000 in the event of war - nearly double what it could muster today. It currently has 180,000 soldiers, which it wants to increase to 203,000, and 60,000 reservists.

And even then, Germany would have well fewer than the 500,000 troops and 800,000 reservists of the former West Germany in the Cold War.

The model is similar to the Swedish one, introduced in 2018, which aimed to enhance the status of military service through a degree of exclusivity and some incentives. Pistorius said those who signed up for a longer service would get a bonus.

But leading politicians from all three parties in Scholz's coalition have expressed opposition to obligatory military service, with Scholz himself ruling out a return to mass conscription.
Pistorius is also facing opposition within the cabinet to his plans to increase defence spending.


Critics say Scholz and others in the government are not willing - or do not see the urgency needed - to make the hard and often unpopular decisions necessary to implement his "Zeitenwende" ahead of the elections.

[buritobr]

Only 2 people give names to German political parties: Jesus Christ (CDU, CSU) and Sarah Wagenknecht (BSW). The other parties (SPD, FDP, Grüne, Linke, AfD) were not named after people

[Yeahsayyeah]

If "Jesus Christ" counts for CDU/CSU (I don't think he does), the "Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany" is still around. And there once was the Schill-Partei, that sometimes even used it officially as their name or abbreviation on the ballot. At the 2021 Bundestag election there was also "Team Todenhöfer" led by a former CDU-politician. I think Frauke Petry's new party, after she left the AfD, also had her name somewhere in its name on the ballot.

But yeah, naming a party after its leader is still highly unusual in Germany, and that the Wagenknechte do it, is quite cringe. I

[buritobr]

If "Jesus Christ" counts for CDU/CSU (I don't think he does), the "Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany" is still around. And there once was the Schill-Partei, that sometimes even used it officially as their name or abbreviation on the ballot. At the 2021 Bundestag election there was also "Team Todenhöfer" led by a former CDU-politician. I think Frauke Petry's new party, after she left the AfD, also had her name somewhere in its name on the ballot.

But yeah, naming a party after its leader is still highly unusual in Germany, and that the Wagenknechte do it, is quite cringe. I

The name Christian of the CDU and CSU comes from the Christian religion which comes from Jesus Christ, so, the 2000 year old palestine guy is the origing of the name.

I was thinking only in the parties which elected representatives for the European Parliament in 2024, you remembered an important thing: some countries have Marxist-Leninist parties. The name comes from 2 people.

[President Johnson]

Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate Malu Dreyer (SPD) today announced that she will step down next month. She has been in office since 2013 and won two elections in 2016 and 2021. She cited personal reasons for the decision and says she doesn't have the same level of energy anymore.

The state SPD already nominated Alexander Schweitzer, current Minister of Labor and Social Affairs (Dreyer's previous post) to be her successor. He's expected to be elected by the Landtag on July 10, making him the chief executive of Germany's only other trafficlight coalition. The move potentially gives him an edge in the next scheduled election in spring 2026, which he would enter with incumbency advantage.

In my view, she picked a perfect point in time to retire both personally and politically. We have to see how it plays out. Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the states the SPD does a lot of things right. There are reasons the party is in power here for well over 30 years in a state that was usually conservative leaning and Helmut Kohl's homebase.

https://twitter.com/phoenix_de/status/1803412813659947400

[Astatine]

If "Jesus Christ" counts for CDU/CSU (I don't think he does), the "Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany" is still around. And there once was the Schill-Partei, that sometimes even used it officially as their name or abbreviation on the ballot. At the 2021 Bundestag election there was also "Team Todenhöfer" led by a former CDU-politician. I think Frauke Petry's new party, after she left the AfD, also had her name somewhere in its name on the ballot.

But yeah, naming a party after its leader is still highly unusual in Germany, and that the Wagenknechte do it, is quite cringe. I

Yeah, Petry's "Blue Party" referred to itself as #TeamPetry on the ballot.
Gabriele Pauli's - former CSU/FW girlboss - founded an own party named "Freie Union" (Free Union), which was widely referred to as "Pauli Party" in the media, although it never was an official name.

We're lagging a bit behind our Southern neighbors (Liste MARTIN, Liste Pilz, Team HC, Team Stronach...) in that regard.

[President Johnson]

Friedrich Merz and the Union doing a populist flip flop on Ukraine: It has been almost three months since Friedrich Merz criticized the Scholz government for not providing enough military support to Ukraine. He emphasized the importance of helping Ukraine win the war. Despite previous efforts to push for the delivery of the "Taurus" missile, he recently has changed his stance, stating that the current level of support for Ukraine is sufficient. The Union is now focusing on the issue of supporting Ukraine as a potential weakness in upcoming Eastern state elections. The debate over providing military aid to Ukraine has sparked differing opinions within the Union, particularly in East Germany. Merz's shift in position reflects a broader change within the Union regarding support for Ukraine.

CSU lately even suggested that Ukrainian refugess currently not employed should be moved back to "save areas in Western Ukraine".

Honestly, a disgrace. But I didn't expect better from this guy.

[gerritcole]

How are Ukrainian refugees integrating within German society? Is there resentment towards them from the German people?

[CumbrianLefty]

How are Ukrainian refugees integrating within German society? Is there resentment towards them from the German people?

Not always terribly well, and yes this is causing some bad feeling. Throughout the continent, there is a bit of a feeling that those Ukrainians not from the actual combat zones and their environs might do both themselves and their host countries a favour by returning home to help the war effort.