[zuriblue]

The governing CDU has beaten the rechtsextrem AFD party in the Land elections in Saxony-Anhalt where the AFD were expected to do well. Exit polls show the CDU on 36.9% with AFD on 22.8%.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... SApp_Other

[kreuzberger]

That's quite a relief albeit within a rather mixed set of results. The fash lost way over 10% of their vote, the Greens did reasonably well as a percentage increase on last time but performed way below where they are trending nationally, and the left generally (SPD / Linke) continue to be spat out of mainstream conversation. The Greens certainly didn't sweep up their losses even though they did well in the two key cities of Magdeburg and Halle, both of which are becoming increasingly liveable.

Thing is though, with the CDU galloping home some 10 points of where where they were predicted to be just last week, we are probably seeing them being lent the votes of other parties in order to keep the AfD at bay.

That's all well and good but, as a Bundesland with very little significance (and even fewer inhabitants), there are few lessons to be learned ahead of the national vote in September.

Perhaps the only thing of note is that the Greens have today baulked at joining a CDU government at this state level.

If that is an omen, it could point to an explosive September.

[kreuzberger]

Dunno how much coverage there was in the UK media about yesterday's shenanigans but is was surreal here in the Mutterstadt.

Background; the loose alliance of anti-vaxxers and holocaust deniers had registered with the authorities a demo with an expected 22,500 participants. There are rail ticket deals to be had on the Deutsche Bahn at this time of year but that was taken with a huge pinch of salt. Nonetheless, the demo was banned on the grounds of public safety.

Deeper background; a demo can't be banned because there is a theoretical chance that it could go full-Molotov but mask-wearing adherence, or lack of it, is a valid reason in these times of plague and this lot have form.

Yesterday broke with reports, nonetheless of them trying to gather by the Olympic Stadium and then followed them down through the outer reaches of West Berlin where even a wild boar stealing your lappy is still big news. Inevitably, they reached the Siege Säule and then spread down to where we live, just to the north of Schöneberg and south of the Tiergarten park.

Reports are suggesting that they numbered some 4,000: the helicopters were deployed, as were some of the water-cannon they couldn't flog to the Gammon King. Still, we sat at the biergarten at the Neue See while I fidgeted with my Twitter App.

We were on the scooter, and I was in a relaxed and reflective mood, so we went down in to queer Schöneberg-proper for coffee and cake.

We were only there for about 40 minutes but the ride back was fucking surreal. The streets were full of marginally miffed hordes with hastily cobbled together anti-vax posters and all the menace of the Whiteleys M&S food hall clientele. As we waited at the lights by Urania, I could barely bring myself to hurl any insults. (As older Mailwatchers will know, I can gleefully start a riot in a phone box when the fash are involved but, when it comes to the Berghaus Brigade, well, it felt just wrong to spoil their afternoon out.)

Thing is, these people were so fucking normal, and that is what is so scary. Why? How? Who is riling them to such a crescendo that they are booking travel to Berlin to protest at an illegal demo in the face of robocops which are not famed for their shyness and, let's be frank, wanton acts of random violence which are routinely ignored?

Something deeper is happening and it is burrowing in to the conscience of otherwise C2, petit-bourgeois mediocrity. It might just be Facebook and the cancerous impact it is known for. However, it is a Thing and we need to understand and challenge it before too many bodies pile up.

[davidjay]

That's a good point. The types we've seen in Trafalgar Square aren't the usual unholy alliance of the Tommy Ten-Names fan club, 'vets' and the Gammon, they seem the sort who would normally be sipping lattes and drinking craft beer. There's the conspiracy nutters as well, but a lot of them are worryingly normal and very angry about something.

[Boiler]

I read somewhere - NYT, I think - that just twelve people seed this anti-vax, anti-Covid, civil liberties dissent; but there's an army of followers. I think I may have mentioned that the bogs at work are riven with "White Rose" stickers.

[Cyclist]

Being German, she can't even cite Magna Carta in defence of her actions...

Nearly 9,000 people in Germany must be vaccinated again after a nurse administering the shot swapped the vaccine for a harmless saltwater solution.

After dropping a vial of Pfizer vaccine in April, a German nurse replaced COVID-19 shots with saline and administered those to patients instead, Metro UK reported.

But police found the nurse may have swapped out the vaccine multiple times.

Local authorities said nearly 9,000 people vaccinated between March 5 and April 20 will need another shot to be safe, the public radio broadcaster NDR said. All of the affected people were over the age of 70 and vaccinated at the same location in Schortens-Roffhausen, the report said...


...An investigation into the nurse's motives is ongoing, authorities said. Investigators said the woman shared posts on social media that were critical of the vaccinations, the report said.


https://www.businessinsider.com/9000-pe ... ?r=US&IR=T

[kreuzberger]

Your German word of the day; "Schienenersatzverkehr".

Trundling through the north Bavarian countryside in a sub-optimal coach, trying to make a rail connection from Nuremberg, while some wheezing, porcine, maskless cunt is sat across the aisle from me.

To make matters worse, the Duchess of De-escalation had spotted the situation and already forbidden me from having a quiet(ish) word.

[Boiler]

D'you know, I only know a smattering of German - enough to work my way around a service manual or a wholesaler's catalogue - but even I worked out what that meant without resorting to DeepL...

[The Weeping Angel]

Interesting poll

[Tubby Isaacs]

As others have said, the SPD leading the government might hurt a few narratives.

Also good to see the German UKIP in 5th place.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Oh dear.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I assume the interest in foreign affairs is "Na na, Merkel let them all in!"

[kreuzberger]

We had a delightful dinner on Friday evening with some pretty well-connected Bavarian SDP people. (Mezes and marinaded trout, endless vino and grappa, seeing at you ask), and they are convinced, almost to the point of complacency, that Scholz is home and hosed.

Laschet (CDU) is a twat and is running a campaign whereby he inserts foot in to gob at any opportunity and Baerbock (Green) was caught IDS-ing her CV. The Greens were as high as 24% in May so the numbers suggest that their share has now softened by almost a third.

The charts suggest that that Green strength was taken at the expense of the two main parties, with the SPD bobbling along at record lows and the Union in freefall.

I would agree that the SPD are running a steady-as-she-goes, nothing campaign and that Scholz has had a great pandemic as finance minister. Thing is, Mutti is yet to weigh in and only the FDP are talking about tax, despite it being a conversation which needs to be had. The other conversation is the environment. Strangely, given the mass deaths in the floods in the west last month, this is also something that hasn't yet cut through as a screaming priority.

Only a fool would call this now but I struggle to see how Scholz is going to sustain these recent upticks. Moreover, I can see the Union falling further due to the appalling utterances of the party regarding the Afghan refugee situation as they shit bricks for fear of losing ground to the fash who are in no position to do anything of note.

Similarly, don't write-off the Greens, especially if they push Robert Habeck (most recently headed the Ministry for Energy Transition, Environment, Agriculture and Digitalisation. ) further front and centre.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Now then.

[kreuzberger]

Moreover, that fieldwork was done 27.08.–30.08.21 which was ahead of last night's telly debate in which Scholz performed well, according to even the Springer rags. Baerbock was more impressive than that 16.5% would suggest.

Laschet looked and sounded like a man who would rather be laughing at flood victims.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Oh Laschet is that guy.

[mattomac]

They were always going fail to follow up with something after Merkel.

I know many in Germany dislike her but to me she has been one of the better leaders of recent times (not hard I know).

[kreuzberger]

Few, outside the hard right AfD and the outer fringes of the left, bear any great animosity towards Merkel. The fash because (trans) she "opened da boarderz" and those on the left who are anti-EU and, quite rightly in my view, because of Fortress Europe and then also the bailing out the banks in 2009/10 which would have otherwise destroyed the country.

It is worth remembering, however, that when she assumed the Chancellery, she was actually the safe pair of hands - the presumed steady hand on the tiller after years of carve-ups, opaque dealings, and splendid art nouveau homes overlooking the Mosel paid for in wads of rubels.

If she was standing again, I think she would walk it, topping out in the low 40s and in a coalition with the Greens.

The Kreuzette (an active Green member) and I pored over the latest numbers yesterday and it is clear that no one has carved a clear route to the Kanzleramt. We are still four weeks out and that could change, but a tenner on a November re-run might be a sound investment.

[kreuzberger]

Upon leaving the polling station, the Kreuzbergerin has just been interviewed at length by the Washington Post.

Fame at last?

[Youngian]

Upon leaving the polling station, the Kreuzbergerin has just been interviewed at length by the Washington Post.

Fame at last?

Did you feed them some pithy soundbites?