the far right very well placed for the elections

We continue our overview of European countries at the dawn of 2024. Today, Germany with the decryption of German journalist Kai Littmann.

After Spain, following the tour of European countries at the start of the year, today Germany with Kai Littmann, the director of eurojournalist.eu.

franceinfo: No need to ask the question how does the year 2024 start for Germany? Just look at the news with very important social movements, especially farmers?

Kai Littmann : I don’t remember a start to the year as marked by social tensions as this year 2024. There are farmers with protests, giant demonstrations throughout the country. But there is also the train drivers’ strike. There is widespread dissatisfaction in society with the rise in energy prices. Everyone is unhappy today in Germany.

Are the farmers unhappy with Mr. Scholz’s government and with European competition?

Yes, on the German side of things, the Constitutional Court of Karlsruhe had rejected the 2024 budget presented by the government, forcing the various ministers to make savings of 17 billion euros. So everyone cut into their budget. Regarding agriculture, the minister chose to abolish the agricultural diesel subsidy, which immediately turned into general discontent. Especially since farmers also feel that the large purchasing centers are squeezing them like lemons. There are many farms in Germany that are in danger today.

Will 2024 also be an election year in Germany?

Yes, and we risk experiencing a political earthquake. There are three major regional elections this year: Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony. For all three, the AFD (the far right) is leading the way in the polls. In Saxony, for example, it will be mathematically impossible to form a government without the participation of the AFD. Which means that for the first time since 1945, Germany will experience a state presidency with members of the extreme right.

And for the European elections?

The AFD is just behind the CDU, the conservatives. On the other hand, by June 9, this could still change, because the AFD is only three points behind the CDU. We thus find the same configuration as in several European countries, where the surprising weakness of the governments in place pushes people towards voting for the extremes. Since the far left in Germany doesn’t really play a big role, people are moving towards the far right. Unlike France, the AFD is in no way comparable with the National Rally: the members of the AFD are more virulent, more violent and I believe that Germany is in real danger.

Mr. Scholz’s coalition government has not really fulfilled its contract?

Unfortunately no. It must be said that the amateurism of this government is surprising. Presenting a budget that is rejected by the Constitutional Court because it contains so many gaps and errors is unheard of.

The AFD is particularly strong in the former GDR, where people have the feeling of not having gotten what was theirs. Helmut Kohl, at the time, spoke of the flowering landscapes that never came to fruition and today a feeling of being left behind encourages people to vote for the AFD. But the far right is also gaining ground in the West. The Germans no longer find an alternative in the outgoing political landscape. They tried everything: with different coalitions or with different parties; successive governments have all failed.