Last night (Thursday).....via the Lanz chat-forum show....semi-retired CDU politician Roland Koch commented on the coalition decline going on, and said: "We are in a captivity with the SPD."
Meaning....the CDU-CSU folks can't really act on any of their goals/ambitions.
I won't disagree, but this is how the 50-percent-plus coalition 'handicap' works.
The West German–Soviet (Russian) natural gas deal was signed on February 1, 1970.
Who signed? Well....it wasn't Willy Brandt (the Chancellor). It was done by West German Economics Minister Karl Schiller and Soviet Foreign Trade Minister Nikolai Patolichev. This was part of Willy Brandt’s Ostpolitik policy of détente with the Soviets and simply the next leg (already with Austria in 1968 and Italy in 1969.
The pipe? Well....West German of course.
Who financed the whole thing? A group of 17 West German banks (led by Deutsche Bank) provided a long-term loan...6-percent interest if you were curious....on what the Soviets needed.
Risky? Credit risks were underwritten by the West German government’s export-credit agency.
The end piece? Throughout the the era of 1970 to 2022....it powered German industry. When the invasion occurred and the Germans ended the 'deal'....that really started the collapse of German economy.
1. CDU politician openly offered his opinion: Care-dependent individuals should sell their house if necessary.
If you wonder why older Germans are less inclined to vote CDU....yeah, this would be a big reason.
2. About two months ago....German story came up....Bundestag (CDU-led coalition) wanted to 'vet' future home-buyers (suggesting if you were right-wing....the states could deny you purchasing a property).
Well....it came out yesterday....that draft-law....dropped. Public attention got pretty negative.
3. Timmy-the-whale-warning? Dutch authorities are still figuring what to do over the dead whale body. Warning yesterday....if you near the body, and it finally 'explodes'....it could kill you.
4. Starts in June in Germany....if you produce solar energy....you can 'sell' it to your neighbor.
5. They put the tip of my region in the 'supercell-warning' area for Saturday.....heavy rain, hail and tornados possible.
6. WELT article points out....majority of voters now 'right-of-center'....with the coalition designed in some form to be left-of-center.
7. Went out to eat in mid-town Wiesbaden at 5 PM yesterday.
What you notice....pubs, restaurants and cafes....very active. Lot of people consuming wine/beer. Fashion trend in turbo-mood. Obvious...people are spending money. Happy-hour concept (locally at 2 PM to 5 PM) being developed/pushed....with .3-liter beers at 2 Euro each or half-liter at 3 Euro.
Things seem more active now.....comparable to 2019 (last year prior to Covid).
Germany's AfD leader Alice Weidel said this week.....she wants the EU abolished and power returned to individual European nations.
Hot priority with Germans? Not really.
I've seen various polls over the past five years....it's never more than 30-percent of German society who wants the German participation in the EU dissolved.
I suspect....if you approached a hundred adults in Germany....they might agree...the EU can be reckless and out-of-control on occasion, but if you asked them to rank this as a problem to fix....it's not in their top 500 issues.
Having lived around West Germany in the 1970s/1980s, and remembering the various border problems/issues....you need something like the EU....but you need to limit their days at 'work'....keeping sessions to just 60-to-90 days a year. You don't need them looking for fresh new problems to solve.
Poor choice of stuff to offer AfD-voters? I can think of a dozen things which might be more appreciated.
Look....Merz was 'sold' as the smart economics guy that could rebrand Germany....dissolve the downward trend....and would build a path to 'old days' (prosperity years).
The CDU Party sold this....the news media sold this....and there simply wasn't a more positive alternative.
Merz walked in, and found the first boundary....he'd have to partner with the SPD Party, and the Finance Ministry would be their territory. I'd say that most of the first twelve months were wasted on stumbling around with this conservative/liberal relationship, and continually focused on increased taxes.
His past with Blackrock? Well....after a while, you'd start to wonder if he ever had much success with them.
Thinking there is a better alternative in the CDU or CSU ranks? I'm not really that convinced of that idea. Polls mostly show a majority of Germans (say 30-percent) don't see any great options....from any party.
Next federal election (unless the coalition collapses)? Early 2029.
1. Markus Lanz public forum show from last night (Wed): lot of talk over Merz probably gone by end of the year from Chancellor job. Problem I see at this point....Germany needs a economic 'kick', and having the SPD as a partner in the coalition....probably doesn't achieve much of a kick.
So....once Merz leaves....the new guy arrives....don't expect much except for new elections within 12 months (my bet).
2. Some NATO assessment....suggesting Putin is at the bottom of the barrel for military manpower, and the only obvious way out....stage a front into Europe and take over a few countries to invent new manpower.
Biggest BS assessment I've read in past five years.
3. German Defense Ministry says they are preparing for a mandatory situation for upping reservist manpower. Volunteer situation marginally working.
4. CDU Party wrote up resignation letters for AfD members in the Bundestag....that they could write their name in and sign...quitting. Partly as a joke....partly to make a point. Sounds like some gimmick that 12-year old kids would dream up.
5. Fusion reactor being discussed......possible future for nuke-energy.
6. Head-guy of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Sinan Selen, says there's a threat to democracy. For this reason, he wants to grant his agency more extensive powers in order to address it more effectively. He more or less said.....among other things, the computers and cell phones of target individuals are to be spied on.
Folks might appreciate the spying effort....especially since China, Russia and the US probably already spy on them.
7. Pope Leo said in a statement....AI must be 'disarmed'.
Seems like a exorcism would be next up. Don't know how AI would react if demons were cast out.
8. Last day or two....Spanish anti-corruption police raided the HQ of the ruling PSOE Party. Various reasons given....one suggests that Venezuela delivered funds to the party.....to ensure public votes.
The German Defense Minister (Pistorius, SPD) had a meeting geared for this week in DC....to talk over the 5,000 exiting plan....but the US War Secretary....said 'no' to the meeting.
So Defense Minister Pistorius canceled a scheduled U.S. visit.
Any blame to dish out on Merz? Marginal amount.
I don't see this occurring in 2026....and it might be into 2027 before the full exit occurs.
Tomorrow (Thur)....there's supposed to be another city-hall meeting....discussing the tram idea.
For probably fifty years....there's been an agenda to bring trams to Wiesbaden. We currently exist with mostly bus service, and some train service to the outlying region. If you gaze over at Mainz....two tram lines exist.
Negative view within Wiesbaden? I'd say two values pop up....one....no one wants public access around the city messed up for three-plus years. The second....no one wants the noise situation.
The city planners? If approved, they want it to start around the 'tent' in Mainz-Kastel (to the far SE of town)....reach the train-station, and end somewhere around the HSK (clinic) on the far west of town.
The last time this topic came up....a public vote occurred, and the NO won by 10-to-15 points.
The only way you could get this passed? Mostly go and avoid urban zones and make it worthless to get hyped-up about.
