German Democracy at Work: The People’s Will Prevails

The German state elections have attracted an exceptional amount of attention because they are bringing about a historic change, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party pushing the long-standing party of power, the Christian Democrats (CDU), into the ranks of the minor parties.

We got a preview of this a couple of weeks ago, and more is coming this weekend in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The main source of dissatisfaction is Germany’s immigration policy, which is transforming the entire society in a radical way.

In addition to immigration policy, many other things are changing in Germany because the AfD also has other policy positions that differ from those of the CDU and the Social Democrats, with whom it has shared power. Examples include the party’s policies on the euro, Russia, and climate change, all of which differ from the views of the political establishment in Berlin and also from those of most other European leaders.

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As a result, coverage of the AfD’s success in the Finnish media has at times resembled disaster reporting (example, another). At the same time, it has been forgotten that the German political transformation is about nothing more and nothing less than a democracy functioning exemplary well, in which change follows from the political elite pursuing policies against the will of the people. In other words, from allowing the mass migration of people from developing countries that has radically transformed German society.

At the same time, the political transformation in Germany’s states demonstrates the beauty of democracy because it forces a reluctant elite to accept the will of the people. This would not be possible in pseudo-democracies such as Russia or China, but in Germany, popular government appears to be working.

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That is why we Finns—and our media as well—should also praise and celebrate the functioning of German democracy. At the same time, we should encourage Finns to use the power granted to us by the Constitution.

According to it, “state power in Finland belongs to the people.” And we will have the opportunity to exercise that power next time on April 18 next year.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Lessons from the Abdul Ballout Case
The Forgotten Empire That Shaped Modern Europe
Shock in Berlin: AfD Surges, Merz Stumbles

"Abdul B" Drove Into a Pride Crowd

The German Pride community experienced firsthand what it feels like to live as a sexual minority in an Islamist culture when "Abdul B" drove into their celebration and then went on a rampage with a machete. As a result, one woman was killed and at least 15 people were injured.

Abdul B (picture below) was already known to the authorities as someone with Islamist views. Nevertheless, like many others of his kind, he had been allowed to live freely in Berlin.

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The terrorist attack on the Pride event can, of course, be dismissed as an isolated incident—if one wants to. Or rather: because one wants to.

It could just as well be seen as an inevitable consequence of Germany's immigration policy, in which Islamist extremism has not been adequately taken into account. This interpretation is supported by the fact that this was not a one-off event; Islamists have previously carried out terrorist attacks in Germany as well.

Perhaps the most significant consequence of last night's terrorist attack will be a further increase in support for the immigration-critical AfD party in Germany. According to opinion polls, around 28 percent of Germans currently support the party, making it the country's most popular political party.

Germany also has the left-wing BSW party, which is likewise critical of immigration. However, its support has fallen to around three percent after reaching as high as nine percent a couple of years ago. It remains to be seen whether left-leaning voters who favor its economic policies will return to the party thanks to "Abdul B."

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While reading about the events in Berlin, I could not help thinking how beneficial it has been that Finland's immigration policy has become more pragmatic through the measures introduced by the current government, under the leadership of Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns Party). It remains to be seen, however, whether these reforms will continue under the next government or whether it will begin reversing the progress that has been made.

This is a genuine concern, as opinion polls show that support for Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's (National Coalition Party) government has fallen to 39.1 percent, while the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the largest opposition party, has become by far the country's most popular party. One factor contributing to this has been the party's strong support among foreign-language speakers, which, in the author's view, reinforces what is described as the party's irresponsible immigration policy.

For that reason, it would be worthwhile for Finnish Social Democratic voters to pause for a moment and consider what kind of Finland they wish to leave to future generations. Should it be a state governed by the rule of law, rooted in Finnish culture, where law, order, and equality between people prevail?

Or should it become a multicultural hell in which public disorder is a constant reality and the rights of women and sexual minorities are threatened by extremist Islamist ideas rooted in seventh-century beliefs?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Will Tomorrow’s Elections in Germany Be a Turning Point?
Will European Culture Collapse Under the Weight of Islamic Immigration?
Afghan's Rampage in Germany Signals the End of the Value-Liberal Era in the EU

Shock in Berlin: AfD Surges, Merz Stumbles

It may come as no surprise that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is taking the country's intelligence service to court over its classification of the party as a far-right group. What is a far bigger surprise, however, is that Friedrich Merz was not elected Chancellor in the first vote of the Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament, to lead a coalition government between the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats.

This is likely to be corrected in the second vote. More interestingly, the AfD has already called for new elections.

The reason for this is likely the party’s rising popularity, now surpassing that of all other parties. This is certainly not only due to the perception that the intelligence service’s classification is undemocratic. The protest mood has likely also been fueled by the fact that no attempt was made—even symbolically—to negotiate a coalition with the AfD, which came second in the election. That, too, can be seen as a sign of broken democracy.

That’s why it will be fascinating to see how support for German political parties evolves in the coming months and years. Will the AfD continue to grow in popularity, or will Merz’s government restore public trust in the traditional parties?

At least Merz has a good starting point: the debt brake has been loosened, and he has pledged to fix Germany’s infrastructure and armed forces with hundreds of billions in additional funding. On the other hand, if Germany's sluggish economy begins to noticeably affect people's standard of living, support could also rise for protest parties other than the AfD.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
AfD Under Fire – But Is Democracy the Price?
Good luck to Chancellor Friedrich Merz!
What will post-migration Europe look like in the future?

AfD Under Fire – But Is Democracy the Price?

The Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has been classified as a far-right group. This conclusion was reached by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, which – according to Social Democratic Interior Minister Nancy Faeser – operated without "any political interference" during the process.

According to the background report justifying the classification, the assessment was based on the fact that AfD seeks to exclude certain population groups – particularly immigrants from Muslim-majority countries – from equal participation in society. The report states that "this is evident from numerous ongoing xenophobic, anti-minority, anti-Islamic, and anti-Muslim statements made by the party’s leading members."

This new classification is not insignificant – it could even lead to the banning of AfD. However, such a ban would not happen automatically. Moreover, it is already clear at this stage that AfD will take legal action against the new classification, accusing it of being politically motivated.

Personally, I am not taking a stance on AfD’s political line here, but it would be rather striking if as much as a quarter of people supported – without a justified reason – a far-right party in a country whose darkest historical chapters include the Nazi party and the Holocaust. Even more peculiar is the fact that no effort is being made to address the reasons behind the views of this quarter of the population. Instead, there appears to be an attempt to block a democratic – that is, electoral – path to solving the problem.

In fact, such an approach would not only be undemocratic but also dangerous. It is clear that if there is a real and fixable reason behind the growth in support for AfD, simply suppressing it will not eliminate the problem. On the contrary: in such a situation, there is a risk that a dissatisfied segment of the population might – at least partially – turn to undemocratic means.

Surely that would not be in the interests of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency? Or would it?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
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Too Many Finns Share Trump’s Inability to Comprehend
What will post-migration Europe look like in the future?

Good luck to Chancellor Friedrich Merz!

The coalition negotiations in Germany have been concluded, and as a result, the next Chancellor of the country will be Friedrich Merz from the Christian Democrats (CDU). His government is scheduled to begin its work in the early days of May. The coalition will include the CDU, CSU, and SPD, and with this, Merz sent a message to the President of the United States, stating that "Germany is back on track."

Naturally, the government's effectiveness remains to be seen, but it will certainly not be helped by the fact that Germany's economic growth is expected to slow to almost zero in the near future. On the other hand — as we have all noticed — at least the trade war between the US and the EU, previously threatened by Donald Trump, has for now been called off by both sides.

According to Merz, the incoming government plans to significantly increase the country's defense spending and will also provide comprehensive support for Ukraine.

Domestically, the government faces pressure from the AfD, whose support has recently risen to match that of the CDU/CSU according to the latest polls. 

However, it remains to be seen how the government's policies, especially its program described as critical of immigration, will affect the popularity of different parties in the coming years.

What is clear, however, is that for the EU, the success of Merz’s government in both domestic and foreign policy would be important. Therefore, it is only fitting to wish him success in his new role.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
What will post-migration Europe look like in the future?
Will Tomorrow’s Elections in Germany Be a Turning Point?
Afghan's Rampage in Germany Signals the End of the Value-Liberal Era in the EU

What will post-migration Europe look like in the future?

The German election result was what it was because of the kind of immigration policies that have been pursued in Germany and the EU in general. And these policies have not been beneficial either to the native European population or to immigrants arriving from elsewhere—let alone to their descendants.

Right now, however, it seems that many immigrants want this negative development—especially from the perspective of their own reference group—to continue. As a sign of this, two Afghan men were recently arrested in Germany for planning a terrorist attack on the Swedish parliament.

Fortunately, the plans of these men, who were linked to the ISIS-K organization, were uncovered, and as a result, they received prison sentences of four and a half years. However, one would have to be quite the optimist to believe that this case will improve the behavior of other immigrants who share the convicted men's mindset.

That is why I believe that the shift in support towards genuinely nationalist parties, as seen in the German elections, will continue in future elections across the EU. And this makes the entire European future uncertain because these parties are not really united by much except for their critical stance on immigration policy.

A case in point is Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is socially conservative and at least partially pro-Russian, and Finland’s Finns Party, which has clearly understood the threat posed by Putin’s Russia to Europe and advocates right-wing conservative economic policies. Beyond immigration issues, the only real common ground between these parties seems to be value conservatism.

Thus, the question must be asked: What will post-migration Europe look like in the future? Will it be a united continent capable of competing—economically and in terms of security policy—with the world's other power centers, a fragmented collection of quarrelsome states, or even a collapsed and underdeveloped society? Or even a province of Russia?

I do not have an answer to this question, but I am certain that the decisions influencing it will be made within the next ten years. And that is why Europeans should pull themselves together sooner rather than later.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
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Will European Culture Collapse Under the Weight of Islamic Immigration?

The wave of crime in Central Europe continues, as a 23-year-old Syrian terrorist fatally stabbed a 14-year-old boy and injured five others. The perpetrator's motive was Islamic hatred toward Europeans, as police discovered flags of the terrorist organization ISIS in his apartment.

It hasn’t been long since an Afghan terrorist drove into a crowd in Germany. Nor since Sweden experienced over 30 bombings in January. Or when Finland published statistics showing that Syrians commit sexual crimes up to 15 times more frequently than the country's native population.

The strange thing is why we Europeans tolerate such crimes against us without taking measures to prevent them. Of course, many are willing to act, but just as many seem content with the situation.

One way to analyze this is by comparing the support for immigration-critical parties to that of the Greens or far-left parties. In Finland, recent opinion polls indicate that the country’s only immigration-critical party, the Finns Party, has around 15% voter support, while the strongly pro-immigration Greens and Left Alliance have over 17%.

In Germany, which is heading into elections, the immigration-critical AfD and BSW together hold about 26% support, while the Greens and the extremely pro-immigration SPD are favored by as much as 30% of voters.

Austria held elections last year, where the immigration-critical FPÖ received nearly 29% support. However, other parties refuse to cooperate with it in government, meaning Austria will likely continue its previous policies—policies under which incidents like the stabbing mentioned at the beginning of this text occur.

The question remains: What will happen to European culture and its native population in the coming years and decades? Will a new form of European identity emerge, blending with Islamic traditions, or will the followers of Prophet Muhammad continue on the same path that has historically subordinated countless cultures—from Byzantine empire to Berber mountain tribes—under their system?

However, Europe differs in one crucial way from previous Islamic conquests. Every significant European country is far ahead of Islamic nations in terms of civilization, science, economy, and military strength. Yet at the same time, they are so mentally weak that they ultimately submit to those who are cheekier. Isn't this weird?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Statistics on Sexual Crimes Committed by Immigrants in Finland
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The Swedish Immigration Catastrophe – A Cautionary Tale

Afghan's Rampage in Germany Signals the End of the Value-Liberal Era in the EU

A 24-year-old Afghan living in Germany decided to boost AfD’s support in becoming elections. As my esteemed reader already knows, he did so by driving a car in an inappropriate manner toward protesting members of trade unions.

It remains to be seen what will come of this—aside from an increase in AfD’s support. However, what we do know about the driver at this stage is that he has previously behaved badly, committing thefts and drug-related crimes. It is likely that his crime spree will now come to an end, at least for a while.

It is also clear that this case will further increase the number of Germans who take a critical stance on immigration. And this will be reflected in the program of the country’s next government.

The incident will undoubtedly have consequences for immigration policy in other European countries as well. And in this way, it reinforces the idea that, as a result of all this, the era of value-liberal politics is coming to an end—not just in Trump’s USA, but also in Germany and other EU countries.

What is less clear, however, is what kind of political climate the EU will shift into in the coming years. And what will become of the international Geneva Conventions, which were originally established in the aftermath of the Holocaust to ensure that people could escape the clutches of bloodthirsty dictators? 

In my assessment, the era of strictly adhering to these conventions will also come to an end, and the distribution of humanitarian asylum will become significantly stricter than it is today. At the same time, the residency rights of asylum seekers in EU countries will become temporary—just as is already happening in Finland, which is leading the way in this matter.

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Does Germany’s Ban on Arabic-Language Posters Signal a CDU/CSU-AfD Coalition?

Germany has banned Arabic-language posters in protests taking place on its soil. This decision stems from the fact that disruptive behavior and even outright crimes have increased in demonstrations held in support of Palestine.

Additionally, Arabic-language slogans have called— in Arabic— for the destruction of Israel and Jews, essentially advocating for a continuation of the Holocaust.

The police have acted swiftly, having already interrupted a protest in Berlin where the Palestinian cause was being promoted with Arabic slogans and music. At the same time, some protesters were arrested.

* * *

The ban on the Arabic language should be seen as a reaction to all the events (example, another) that have recently shaken Germany. It is also part of a shift in the political climate, which may ultimately allow Europe to retain its fundamental character despite the reckless immigration policies of recent decades.

For Germany, this has meant growing support for the immigration-critical AfD and BNW parties, as well as a shift in the Christian Democrats’ stance in the same direction. However, the CDU/CSU leader has stated that under no circumstances will he form a government relying on AfD support.

This is a strange promise because, without the AfD— which currently enjoys around 22% support— it is impossible to form an immigration-critical government in Germany. Any other government program would be tantamount to betraying the voters, which could lead to a collapse in CDU/CSU support.

I believe that Chairman Merz understands this as well and will therefore not betray the will of the people. Instead, he will ultimately form a government with the AfD, provided the parties can agree on other issues and current polling numbers hold.

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Friedrich Merz Needs the AfD – A Precedent from Finland

Germany's likely future chancellor, Friedrich Merz (CDU), has promised to implement significant changes to the country's immigration and asylum policies on his very first day in office. From that moment on, entry to Germany will be prohibited for anyone who does not possess valid travel documents or the European freedom of movement—this includes those seeking asylum.

According to Merz, "The state must utilize old barracks and container villages located on isolated properties to house individuals designated for deportation. Deportations of those who entered illegally must be carried out daily. The powers of the federal police responsible for border control will be expanded."

This stance comes in the wake of recent terrorist acts in Germany, the latest of which involved an Afghan illegal immigrant who killed two children with a knife. This individual had been ordered to leave Germany long ago. Merz stated that these knife attacks are a direct consequence of asylum and immigration policies pursued in Germany over the past ten years.

* * *

It remains to be seen, however, whether Merz will follow through on these promises. First, he must win the upcoming elections, and second, he must find a coalition partner. In practice, this would mean that—if Merz sticks to his current promises—the AfD (Alternative for Germany) would need to be brought into the government. This would not be possible unless the two parties secure a majority in the national parliament, as none of the other parties would accept collaboration with the AfD.

At the moment, however, the situation looks promising for Merz. According to polls, the CDU/CSU is projected to win just over 30% of the vote, while the AfD is expected to gain over 20%. In other words, they could govern Germany together.

* * *

The situation bears some resemblance to Finland, where the government is also based on cooperation between an established conservative party (the National Coalition Party) and a value-conservative party (the Finns Party), which has risen to prominence through its criticism of immigration policies. However, the difference is that Finland's government also includes significantly smaller, traditional right-wing parties (the Christian Democrats and the Swedish People's Party).

It should also be noted that Finns Party, apart from its stance on immigration, is a fairly typical conservative party. For instance, Finance Minister Riikka Purra has even pushed more strongly than other government members to balance the state budget by cutting funding for public services. The party was also the first in Finland to clearly recognize the threat posed by Putin's Russia and, as a result, began strongly supporting Ukraine long ago.

By contrast, there are greater differences between the AfD and Germany's Christian Democrats, particularly regarding Russia. The former seems entirely naïve about the threat posed by Russia. Cooperation in government could also be complicated by some AfD members' negative attitude toward Jews, and the AfD's social-populist policies might not resonate well with the Christian Democrats.

The fact remains, however, that in both Finland and Germany, political parties have their differences, but despite these, they must be able to form a common government program. If the CDU/CSU and AfD succeed in doing so, they could govern Germany together in the coming years—and in doing so, they could set an example for the rest of Europe, particularly in rationalizing immigration and asylum policies.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
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Citizen Journalism, Free Speech, and EU Challenges

The text above is my thought that "As long as a society has a true freedom of speech it cannot be completely rotten. However, all totally rotten societies are lacking the true freedom of speech."

The text is placed there because Finns seem to have significant difficulties in accepting freedom of speech. The most recent example of this was provided by the Finnish Green Party, which has decided to leave the social media platform known as X.

According to the party, societal discussion on X is no longer relevant due to the systematic hate speech, conspiracy theories, and disinformation spreading on the platform. They are correct in that all three undeniably occur frequently on X. However, they are wrong in claiming that societal discussion is no longer relevant on that platform, as it has been conducted specifically, explicitly, and practically only there.

Sure, the world is full of social media platforms, but it is precisely on X where open societal discussion has taken place. And it is precisely there where anyone could directly comment on anyone else's posts and provide reasoning. Of course, this often happens in an inappropriate manner, but in my view, both political extremes have been especially guilty of this.

If the Finnish Greens and the broader political left leave X, there is a risk that societal discussion will revert to a time when each ideological group had its own insular forum, making fruitful dialogue—or achieving mutual understanding—practically impossible. And it might not be possible in the future either, not even in the utopian world of the Greens. 

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This relates to the perspective of Finnish Commissioner Henna Virkkunen, who has stated that the EU can impose significant fines and penalties on X if the platform does not meet the Union's requirements. According to her, "In Europe, everyone has freedom of speech and opinion. However, X has a specific obligation, derived from our laws, to assess and mitigate systemic risks related to our electoral systems and public discourse."

Virkkunen's comment arose after X conducted an interview with Alice Weidel, the vice-chair of Germany's second most popular party, the AfD. However, under EU legislation, platforms are required to ensure that certain political views are not favored over others. In other words, the commissioner would like to compel X to also interview representatives of other German parties.

It remains to be seen whether Elon Musk will comply with such demands—or if he will allow others to organize similar interviews on their own, which could then be featured on X. From the perspective of freedom of speech, it would be beneficial if this were possible—after all, Musk himself has emphasized that X is a platform for citizen journalism, where everyone can create their own content.

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Germany Then and Now Resemble Each Other

In the early years of the Weimar Republic, during the 1920s and the early 1930s in Germany, power was held by the Social Democrats. Nevertheless, the far-left caused unrest and incited workers to go on strikes. Eventually, they even attempted a violent revolution, inspired by Vladimir Lenin.

As a result of all this, a backlash arose among the German populace, which was temporarily interrupted when moderate parties formed governments in the mid-1920s. However, the far-left increased its popularity towards the end of the decade, as the runaway inflation caused by war reparations made life increasingly difficult for the people.

For the same reasons and due to the unrest caused by the far-left, national socialism—or the Nazi Party—also gained traction, ultimately taking power in January 1933. This led the country, after various developments, into two interlinked catastrophes: the Second World War and the Holocaust.

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This came to my mind when I read that in Germany, thousands of leftist protesters gathered on Saturday in front of the party congress of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. As a result, the start of the congress was delayed by two hours because the protesters blocked party members from entering the venue.

A large police presence was also on-site, dispersing a sit-in protest that had partially blocked an intersection. They also intervened to stop acts of violence, as some protesters launched fireworks at the police.

It would be worth asking these protesters whether they have any understanding of what happened in Germany between the world wars, and whether they realize that their current actions bear an unsettling resemblance to the behavior of the German left during the Weimar Republic era, which, as a backlash, resulted in the rise of the Nazi regime.

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The Fall of Germany’s Government Could Open the EU’s Path to a Better Future

Germany's Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz has led a coalition government that now appears to have reached the end of the road. This is because all the ministers from the liberal FDP party announced their resignation from the government after Scholz dismissed the party's chairman, Finance Minister Christian Lindner, from his post.

Scholz explained that the reason for Lindner’s dismissal was a loss of confidence in him, stemming from the liberal Finance Minister's economic policy views, which differed from those of the Chancellor and the third coalition partner, the Greens.

Next, Scholz intends to negotiate with the leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU), Friedrich Merz, and offer him an opportunity to “work constructively together on issues critical to our country.” It remains to be seen whether Merz will be willing to rescue Scholz, whose popularity among the public continues to decline.

The Greens, however, would like to continue governing Germany alongside the Social Democrats. Nonetheless, Scholz is expected to face a parliamentary vote of confidence in January. Should the government receive a vote of no confidence, new parliamentary elections would likely be held in March.

According to recent polls, significant shifts could be expected in the Bundestag. The latest surveys indicate that only 16 percent of eligible voters currently support the SPD, while the country’s most popular party is now the CDU with around 32 percent support.

The immigration-critical right-wing party AfD holds second place with 17 percent, followed by the SPD. The Greens have around 10 percent support, and the immigration-critical left-wing party BSW holds about seven percent. All other parties, including the liberals, are currently polling below Germany's five-percent electoral threshold.

In my view, it would be beneficial for Europe if the German parliament were to dissolve the government and hold elections as soon as possible. This way, the EU could rid itself of Germany’s Russia-leaning government and hopefully see a new leadership in its leading nation, one that could pursue foreign policy independent of Russia and bring Germany's economy back on a growth track.

This would also allow the EU, under Germany's leadership, to take responsibility for supporting Ukraine against the Russian aggressor – especially if the United States, under a returning president, shifts its military support more towards Taiwan in response to increasing pressure from China, and if Donald Trump fails to negotiate a peace within 24 hours, as may be expected.

And that’s not all, as a favorable election result could also lead to the AfD joining the government, which would make immigration a prominent issue in German politics. This, in turn, could potentially put an end to the mass migration across the Mediterranean.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
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The EU Is Suffocating Under Double Bureaucracy
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