Focus brought this up in the news today.
For those who are unfamiliar with the make-up of Germany since the Wall came down.....the eleven West German states ended up combining with five East German states (Berlin is a state by itself in this addition).
The ARD (public TV, Channel One) and WELT (a national newspaper) went out and got a survey done on politics....east versus west. And today, there's this new problem which fell out of the survey.
What the survey says is that the AfD (the anti-immigration party) is now number one if you engage just in the five east German states.
27-percent for AfD. The CDU follows with 23-percent.
Coming in third? The Linke Party with 18-percent. And the SPD is grounded with only 15-percent.
What this is suggesting? There is a perception across Germany which is now divided. Money being spent by the AfD to advertise? No. Big social media campaign? Not really. A Merkel-like character charming people? No.
The frustration level with migration, immigration, the police handling of the situation, the negativity with the news media, and just plain frustration with politics out of the national capital......ALL add up to a degree of disgruntled voters.
There are three state elections in Germany for 2019....all three in east German states. With a year to go, you have to worry somewhat about the results might be and how this would flip the political apparatus in Germany.
What if all three elections went thirty-five-plus percent for the AfD? I suspect that the German news media would go into turbo-drive situation and try to convince everyone of the Nazi-like intentions here, and likely fail miserably.
Resolving this? I think you'd have to start with Chancellor Merkel leaving office and someone fresh coming in.....with some different ways of handling the issues. That won't happen till after the 2021 election.
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