The Impending Decline Of The German Car Industry

I watched a piece off N-TV this AM....done by Wulf Stolle in "Der Spiegel."

The general end-results? Starting in 2035, car manufacturers in the EU will be prohibited from selling new conventional combustion engine vehicles (gas/diesel).  And the industry is giving a warning of a impending slump.

Added to the commentary.....China is overtaking Europe.

Yeah....it's a crappy period approaching for VW, Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes and Opel.

The push going on...to dump the 'ban'?  I would suggest it's a big deal for 2026/2027....with the Chancellor forced into a confrontation.

Steinmeier's Term (End)?

 Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD Party) was elected President of Germany on 12 February 2017, and took office on March 19, 2017, after his predecessor Joachim Gauck's term ended. 

He was re-elected on February 13, 2022, and began his second five-year term on March 19, 2022. 

By the German constitution (Article 55), each term lasts five years, so his current term ends on March 19, 2027.

In case  you were wondering the vote-process....it's by the Bundestag/Landestag...not a public vote.

Toward the end of 2026....a discussion will start up.  The CDU-CSU....is probably in a position where they want their guy/gal to win.  The SPD, Greens and Linke Party?  They can only mount a roughly 38-percent of the Bundestag votes.  Sadly....the CDU-CSU...can only get their candidate in position...if the AfD were to support them.  I wouldn't  expect that.

So the CDU-CSU...really need a compromise candidate....to get the SPD to support....or go clearly to a SPD-candidate (again).

If I were betting?  SPD-candidate....again....to win.

Four Humble Thoughts Over The Ukraine-Russia 'War'

1.  Warfare is permanently changed.  Anti-tank weapons and drones are the future.

2.  Russia on day one...was totally prepared to fight a 1960s/1970s tank war/invasion (like the Warsaw Pact strategy).   Ukraine said 'NO'....downsizing the modern inventory of tanks/APCs...by 90-plus percent.

3. If you can't manufacture replacement equipment....your strategy to 'win' is non-existent.

4.  Drafting some 'kid' and giving them four weeks of boot-camp/combat training....worked in 1914 and 1940....it no longer works today.

3 Nov 2025: Germany: 3 Things

 1.  German  police (this AM) arrested two suspected ISIS terrorists in Trier and Delbrück, the Federal Prosecutor General announced.

2. Saturday evening in Wiesbaden....at the Christmas market....around 7:30 PM (wife and I walked out around 7:10 PM)....some argument started up at a stall....maybe alcohol involved.  Two guys.....both early 20s....leads to a fight.  One pulls a tear-gas cannister on the other....dumps irritant on the guy....also two customers and two stall operators.  Police got called....ambulance required.

3.   Reported...30,000-plus cases in German emergency rooms...daily.  Highest level ever.

War Chatter

 Vladimir Putin warned today....that Russia is ready to go to war with all of Europe if that’s the path European leaders choose.

BS?  At some point....he spoke to the idea....that facing Europe would be nothing like fighting Ukraine.

If I were guessing.....he'd stage a missile attack (non-nuclear)...maybe forty in one evening...to scare the crap out of Europeans.

In 24 hours....realization would occur....no one in Europe is really ready for war.

Potential Ban On Private Fireworks?

 Interior Minister this week....has serious pressure to ban private  fireworks....31Dec2025.

Various groups supporting a ban.

If you asked me....it's a bit too late...grocery stores have already ordered and will be receiving their order shortly after Xmas.

Even if you ban them....you can cross the border into Poland/Hungry to buy there.

Q-and-A

 1. What's the political break-out currently of Germany?

Left-leaning (SPD, Linke, Green, BSW)....around 36-to-38 percent of polling.

Right-leaning (FDP, AfD,  CDU, CSU)....around 55-to-58 percent of polling.

Remaining numbers?  Split among 30-odd parties.

2.  State elections coming up in 2026?

Baden-Württemberg (8 Mar), Pfalz (22 Mar), Sachsen-Anhalt (6 Sep), Berlin (20 Sep), and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (20 Sep).

Of the five....Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Sachsen-Anhalt are probably the bigger play for AfD. CDU is the likely winners of Baden-Wurttemberg and the Pfalz.  SPD and  Linke likely to carry Berlin.

3.  What's this hype from BDI today?

BDI is the umbrella organization of German industry and industry-related service providers.  They put out a statement....industry in Germany is crippled-up....serious condition....serious things need to occur.

4. Odds of a end to the Ukraine-Russia war?

Presently....I give it less than a 20-percent chance.

Ukraine has zero desire to give up territory.  

5. Did the EU Transport Commissioner say they are "open to all technologies?"

Yeah, he basically said....if you had some gas/diesel tech stuff....that changed things....they'd dump the ban of gas/diesel new cars in 2035.

Some hybrid-tech likely to be shown....with a smaller gas/diesel engine (say a 1.0-size?).....might be the resolution. BMW already has a .65L size engine.  Mazda has a .83L rotary engine in development. 

Vax Story

Back in June of 2021....there was this story of a German man from Magdeburg (in Saxony-Anhalt)....that got into the German news....who'd had multiple Covid-19 vaccinations.

Originally....it looked like the guy had taken 30-odd vaccinations....for himself, and other people (to get people good documentation that they were 'safe', but highly illegal).

About a month into the story....the news folks dropped the story....without much explanation.

I started digging a month ago, and the rest of the story stood out.

All total....the guy (62 years old) took 219 vaccination shots.

Yeah, he was investigated for possibly selling vax-certificates in 2022.....but that fell apart....no charges.

 Yeah....researchers from the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (in Bavaria) did study his immune response using blood/saliva samples.  No side-effects.

The guy being overly concerned with being safe from Covid? Well....yeah. It would be interesting to review his news content.

Age group falling into this story? Germany had a priority listing....starting in late December 2020....the 90-and-over crowd, with the medical folks were top priority for the first 2 months. That age-60-crowd?  They fell into play around late March.  So from late March to June....219 shots....figure 3 shots per day.

My question?  Are there others like him?