Entry of far right in Bundestag: Assertion of retrograde German nationalism, anti-immigration and anti-Islam

By Sadhan Mukjerjee*
The election results in Germany show a dangerous portent. Though Angela Markel has become the 4th time Chancellor of Germany but her party CDU-CSU has got the lowest vote since 1949. It has lost substantial voter support. The CDU-CSU has won only a 33% vote, aer CDU-CSUH loss of 8.5%.
Similarly, Social Democrats have lost heavily losing 5.2% votes and winning only 20.5%. It leader Martin Schultz has declared that the party will not join the Markel’s government, thus ending the Grand Coalition that ruled Germany. Many in that party felt that the party has not got its due in the coalition and hence it is better to operate as an independent entity.
What is however a dangerous trend is Alternative for Germany (AfD)’s surge, winning 12.6% votes, a gain of 7.9%. This means it will not only enter the Bundestag (Parliament) for the first time but also become the third largest party in parliament.
The German election has been described as an election of joy and despair, joy because Angela Markel wins the forth term as Chancellor and despair because the extreme rightwing has made an entry into parliament. A commentator has pithily put that Markel like Obama is more popular abroad than at home.
But it is not just merely despair; the victory of AfD has shown a dangerous growth trend in Germany as this party openly opposes entry of refugees and foreigners into Germany; its main theme is Hate for fellow human beings, assertion of retrograde German nationalism, anti-immigration and anti-Islam. More and more Germans seem to opt for such negative German policies.
It stands to reason that Angela Markel will now form a coalition with the Left, Greens and Free Democratic Party (FDP). THE SPD has refused to team up with Markel. The Left has marginally increased its vote by 0.6% with 9.2% vote, FDP with 12.6% votes (a gain of 5.9%) and the Greens with 8.9%, an increase of 0.5% votes. So Germany will have a coalition of CDU-CSU with Jamaica parties (Red, Green and Yellow, that is the colours of Jamaican flag), meaning the Left, the Green and the FDP in Germany.

This will however not be an easy coalition. For example, FDP is a pro-Business party while the Greens have their own agenda of changing Germany. Angela Markel will have an uphill task not only to cobble up the coalition but also to carry on the government’s current policies. Will Markel be comfortable with Left? That is a question that is yet to be seen.
There is another lurking danger. The AfD has won in the areas that was formerly German Democratic Republic (GDR) and was ruled by National Front which was run by the communist party (the Socialist Unity Party of Germany). After the collapse of GDR, the parties which controlled West Germany never really helped former GDR areas to grow as West German areas did. It was again a feeling of Divided Germany.
Probably Angela Markel has understood this. After the election results were out, she said the success of the far right was a test for Germans. It was important to listen to the concerns of their voters and win them back, she said. But this is easier said than done as the time in hand is not a long period, barely four years to the next election.
The refugee problem and security of Germany is the immediate big headache for the government. Germany has had several terrorist attacks and now it is said that 700 potential terrorists have been identified in Germany.
Other issues include Euro zone and austerity, international issues in which Germany is actively involved, relations with Britain, Russia etc.
German economy is still fine but there is lack of investment in infrastructure. It has renounced nuclear energy but the alternative sources have not grown to the extent required. Also there is competition from other countries. Germany’s nomenclature as power house of Europe still holds good but its preeminent position is slowly eroding.
Germany’s relations with developing countries, most likely, will not change. Here again time will tell.
---
*Veteran journalist

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog