1. Poll done on political scene.....if the coalition were forced to a vote (SPD-Green-FDP)....they would be 13 points below the fall 2021 level of the last federal election. Not enough to win.
2. Head of the CDU Party (Fredrich Merz) gave an interview and said turning back on nuclear power is a priority for the CDU. It's not a hot-topic for Germans....since they turned the last nuke plant off earlier in the year.
How many Germans would be 'sour' over this idea? I'd put the number close to 50-percent.
The odd thing from this interview.....he (Merz) kinda hints that virtually all of the accomplishments of the current coalition (SPD-Greens-FDP) would be reversed. Pretty radical statement.
3. New poll done....asking Germans if they are happy with the coalition government (SPD-Greens-FDP). Almost three-quarters of people polled said 'NO'.
If you sat in some group and asked them why.....it'd go across various lines. Selling the 'brand' or message for the coalition hasn't gone well. In the past, the public TV folks (ARD/ZDF) would do a fair amount of the 'sales' of public messages, but even now....they haven't been able to lift the coalition.
Affecting state elections? I would suggest that it's hindering both the SPD and Greens.
4. Harold Martenstein wrote a piece for WELT this AM.....interesting prospective...."A Country With Permanently Unregulated Immigration Is Going To The Dogs".
Basic theme? You have a country that is bound and determined to have processes and ways of doing things....having to deal with migrants who arrive and refuse to give you their true name, true country, or true age. He sums it up....long-term, this won't work.
You could see some of these issues existing in 2015/2016 already, and the bulk of society just looking the other way. I'd say in the past five years....the number of 'disappeared-people' (my word for the crowd) have expanded.
A problem with the Ukrainians who came? No. I would suggest the bulk of Iraqis and Syrians also were honest.
How many 'disappeared-people' exist? No one can cite a number, and I doubt if politicians want to admit in public that there might be a quarter-million people like this in Germany today.
5. I ended up last night at a Rhein Music Fest event over in Mainz....orchestra doing science fiction music (ET, Star Wars, etc). Big hall....probably could seat 1,000 guests....at least 200 seats empty. Before Covid, I think they would have easily filled the place. Now.....not so much enthusiasm.
Footnote: I'm calling it the end for summer as of this weekend. AC unit is going back to the basement tomorrow. Summer of 2023.....for central Rhine Valley (Wiesbaden)....probably the most mild summer I've ever experienced. After a totally dry May and June.....the grass was completely dead. Then rains for July and August brought the whole lawn back to life, with cool temperatures.
At some point, I even noted locals wearing fall clothing in the middle of July. Pool attendance? I would imagine the numbers will be 30-percent off the normal average.
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