E100: WTF, Germany?

Once seen as a pillar of stability in Europe, Germany is unravelling. Its economy is in decline, and the far-right AfD recently won a state election, marking a disturbing shift in the political landscape. The country has reintroduced border controls, violating a core EU principle. And its legacy parties continue to slide into authoritarianism, suppressing pro-Palestinian voices at home while supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Meanwhile, a housing crisis and soaring rents are straining German citizens, even as the government spends billions to support the Ukraine war and its foreign policy agenda.

How did Germany get here? What does it mean for Europe? And how do we push back? Our panel — as well as a few new members of the team — will be weighing in, taking your questions and more. Join us!

FOLLOW THE SPEAKERS
---------------------

SUPPORT US
---------------------

#Germany #politics #humanrights

00:00 Introduction to DiEM25 and discussion topic
00:25 Germany's Economic and Political Crisis
01:44 Panel Introduction and Discussion Setup
03:18 Johannes Fehr on Germany's Economic Downturn
11:11 Carolina Rehrmann on Far-Right and Left Parties
16:35 Judith Meyer on East German Sentiments
23:13 Julijana Zita on Migration and Media Influence
28:33 Nour Hariri on Border Controls and EU Unity
32:34 Addressing Europe's Real Problems
33:52 Chat Comments and Questions
34:36 Economic and Social Struggles in Germany
40:08 Housing Crisis and Immigration
46:54 Pro-Palestinian Suppression in Germany
54:10 Germany's Role in Global Politics
01:02:09 Conclusion and Call to Action

[BettBeat_Media]

immigration is the only topic the political classes all over the West can talk about. Netherlands, UK, Germany, Belgium....It's the same everywhere. No discussion of the real problems, let's blame the victims of Western foreign policy.

[megetmorsomt]

You were attacked by your "friends & allies" - maybe give that a hard think...

[Guenni.]

The claim, Sahra is saying "islam hates you and they don't want to integrate" is just plain wrong. I have no idea where that speaker is even getting that from.

[amshoom]

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, a significant number of East Germans "migrated" to West Germany. Estimates suggest that between 1989 and 1991, about 15% of the East German population migrated to the West. This equated to approximately 2 million people out of a population of around 16 million at the time.

[mariettestabel]

Let us learn from the Past and make Peace in this Crazy World.

[neilmartin]

Yes! Exactly WTF Germany? on the wrong side of history again, when will you ever learn?

[shmock]

@Karin de Rigo (around min 35): Your assesment ist right and it also matches with the election results in the Weimar Republic: The NSDAP actually had the highest percentage in middle class areas like Steglitz in Berlin. An Area that also back than was a middle class area, where also a lot of civil servants lived. That were not the underpriviliged to vote NSDAP, but the ones who where afraid they could lose their priviliges in front of all incertainty.

[mnemonija]

"They used to work for 2-3 euros per hour, and that was tolerated because they were doing jobs that noone wanted to take." But obviously if these jobs needed to be done, they would have to offer a higher wage without a desperate immigrant, so mass immigration of desperate people does indeed lower wages.

Obviously american destruction of middle east sent waves of refugees to EU. I always thought that they saw it as a positive in politically destabilizing the so called allies, but would you say that EU leaders actually saw this immigration as a positive thing for their economies as it helped keep the wages low? Maybe they even asked for it?

[pedroghirotti]

This was painful to watch... I have been getting this feeling during the last months that Diem25 is a party with misguided analysis, and this streaming sort of gave me the answer. My conclusion is that unfortunately, despite the solid left wing principles expressed by the members of the party/movement, "wokeness" is a much more prevalent issue for Diem25. All in all Diem25 seems to be the woke party of Europe.

As a socialist I understand that the root problem of societies is the economical system and the inequality in power fed by that system. I'm sure members of Diem25 also understand that, but, instead of being realistic and accepting that large parts of every population/society feels uneased by immigration, specially if they are within the most vulnerable classes, Diem25 seems to prefer to focus on how "bad-evil" is to bring that conversation on the table.
A true socialist change is supposed to benefit the whole planet. I'm sure immigrants that move to Germany are not doing it for the love of Germanness, but because they are desperate. Immigrants know they will be treated like second grade people in Europe, and they move because back at their native lands they have no opportunities. It would definitely be more productive for Diem25 to defend the general socialistic development of all nations, instead of hanging on faire tales of love between all people.

I'm not excusing scapegoating of immigrants, which is the standard narrative of the European elites, and it is reproachable. I'm just saying that for the socialist change to happen, socialists need as much support as possible from the working and middle classes. Not seeing this as a priority is just misguided.
My analysis is that Diem25 as a political movement won't last very long. Unfortunately.

Sahra Wagenknecht understands this, and for a socialist change in Germany, she might be much closer to reality than other movements.

For an interesting analysis of the left and wokeness, I suggest this interview at the Chris Hedges show:

[curiousfella]

Is it parties dictating what people should think or are there real problems of under-resourcing communities that the new left option actually speaks to? edit: One of the early speakers talking about this as if the issue was just invented out of whole cloth sure got dunked on by the person right after her and rightfully so. But would've been nice to see a more explicit exchange of ideas. Don't you have something like message discipline I mean if there's gonna be grossly contrary speakers and no exchange it looks kinda silly?

[amshoom]

Scapegoating is a defense mechanism where an individual or group unfairly blames someone else for their own problems or failures, making that person or group a "scapegoat." This allows the person or group doing the blaming to avoid responsibility for their issues and maintain a sense of self-righteousness or moral superiority.

[Monkismo]

Even if you take race or national origin out of the equation, it's basic economic reality that excess labor allows employers to pay less. You are also suggesting that instead of improving work conditions and wages, we should let more desperate people in to do those jobs.

The social media industry has created a whole class of people who get to profit from being vehicles for advertising while podcasting from their comfortable homes while making vague demands for "revolution." You hear more about trans kids than about universal healthcare, UBI, higher wages, or the environment.

[Camcolito]

I'd comment except Youtube keeps deleting them.

[muinkhoury]

Have you ever read: Gekaufte Journalisten.?

[bjornbaron]

What's the difference between Germany and USA?

[ksechsneun]

The bottom line:
The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.
(A.A Milne)

[kforest]

Why do you all act like you don’t know what’s going on as it’s the same scenario in every country it’s not like your authoritarians died were always there

[williamramsay]

How the world seems to have got worse since I last listened to you. Scary.

[MonsieurMoustachio]

still waiting for the day that the academic left parties accept that wanting to keep Ethnic majority status in your country is a valid request for the working class

[Soul-zlbb]

Can anybody see my comment? I cannot see the other 2 comments.