Up until now in Germany, your monthly utilities bill that was pre-paid to your providers....stood at roughly 200 Euro (figure around 85 Euro on average for the electricity, 85 to 120 Euro for natural gas, and around 25 Euro for garbage and water services).
If you asked most Germans....it wasn't a big deal.
Presently? This week, I read through a comment by a guy who'd gotten the combined monthly 'warning' letter, where the amount was just under 1,200 Euro a month (basically a thousand more than what was normal).
In his case, he figured he could cover two or three months of this, and then start slacking on his mortgage payment. Whether or not he'd be able to stay in the home for the next year....was the general question.
The political system in Germany is more stable than what existed in the 1920s with the Weimar Republic, but the present system isn't geared to nationalize or take-over the natural gas or electrical network.
The odds of demonstrations getting hyped-up? Oh, I'd go and suggest that by the end of October, there will be dozens of major cities having demonstrations at least once a week.
Two fringe parties likely to get public attention? I'd suggest that both the Linke Party (far left) and the AfD Party (far right)....will get traction, and gain public support. But if you asked....what's the solution here? Neither group can solve this chaos.
Support for the environmental 'causes'? Frankly, it won't surprise me if a lot of enthusiasm dries up and you see fracking openly discussed as a legit answer to the problem. Development of nuclear energy likely to come up again? Probably. Firewood being used a great deal, with the environmentalists negative about 'soot' in the air? Probably will happen.
'Winter of discontent' was a phrase used in the UK back in November 1978 for about six months. It was attached to a national strike that brought a lot of negativity to the public and the government. I see the same characteristics brewing currently with this energy chaos brewing in Germany.
The next six months? It will be a challenge in Germany.
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