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Post by cato on Sept 25, 2017 11:09:09 GMT
I was watching one of the AFD rallies in Germany covered by BBC newsnight a few weeks ago. It attracted disillusioned conservatives , middle of the road types who were annoyed at being ignored and alarmed by Mrs Merkel's approach to mass emigration. Not a swastika in sight.
Despite repeated attempts by the British interviewers to introduce Nazi themes the AFD spokeswoman was perfectly normal and referring to her pregnancy said she was doing her bit for Germany.
It is perfectly possible the AFD is a front for the 4th Reich. It will attract far right votes who have no one else to vote for but I suspect the bulk of its support are Germans alarmed at huge influxes of people who appear hostile to traditional German values. Having a problem with uncontrolled emigration does not make you a Nazi.
This result could be good news for all who oppose mass emigration as it slaps Merkel on the wrist. The ever cautious Merkel will realise this policy is deeply unpopular in many areas. Where Germany goes the rest of the EU usually follows.
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Post by kj on Sept 25, 2017 11:32:41 GMT
I view the election result as a necessary re-balancing of any parliamentary democracy.
For years, we have had only one side of the story pushed on us, with no other body to give an alternative version.
Paradoxically, a true Liberal or Parliamentarian should welcome this result as it will promote more voices and debate, but they won't of course, we'll just get hysteria.
I gather, though, that splits have already begun. Frauke Petry has announced she will function as an Independent, not as a member of AFD.
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Post by Séamus on Sept 25, 2017 11:51:17 GMT
A similar minor party, also labelled, perhaps fairly, as anti-immigration, New Zealand First, will decide who forms government there. The one or two socially conservative New Zealanders I know are hoping their country has dodged a bullet and not elected Jacinda Ardern,a case of Trump/ Clinton revisited.
What strikes me at present is the strong division in a lot of countries that have had elections in the last couple of years:
No strong winners in Germany or New Zealand, no clear winner in Britain, Trump not winning the popular vote in U.S., Malcolm Turnbull is Australia's prime minister by one seat only. Ireland had no real winner either, but the Right/West wing axis is harder to see there.
Angela is probably not the worse thing on the world's stage at the moment. To give a (even if it's a lip service-) statement that you don't agree with gay marriage in the Western world is brave nowadays.
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Post by cato on Sept 25, 2017 14:11:00 GMT
I view the election result as a necessary re-balancing of any parliamentary democracy. For years, we have had only one side of the story pushed on us, with no other body to give an alternative version. Paradoxically, a true Liberal or Parliamentarian should welcome this result as it will promote more voices and debate, but they won't of course, we'll just get hysteria. I gather, though, that splits have already begun. Frauke Petry has announced she will function as an Independent, not as a member of AFD. I don't know if losing one mp is a split but going from zero to around 90 seats is going to pose problems for any party. There is a media assumption that any deviation from liberal orthodoxy on emigration or Europe leads to the gas chambers which is truly outrageous. It was trotted out during the Brexit debate ignoring the fact the UK and the allies in 1945 closed the death camps down. You could make a more valid claim the EU aims at becoming a major European super state. Now where did we last hear that claim being made? |
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Post by cato on Sept 25, 2017 14:17:47 GMT
A similar minor party, also labelled, perhaps fairly, as anti-immigration, New Zealand First, will decide who forms government there. The one or two socially conservative New Zealanders I know are hoping their country has dodged a bullet and not elected Jacinda Ardern,a case of Trump/ Clinton revisited. What strikes me at present is the strong division in a lot of countries that have had elections in the last couple of years: No strong winners in Germany or New Zealand, no clear winner in Britain, Trump not winning the popular vote in U.S., Malcolm Turnbull is Australia's prime minister by one seat only. Ireland had no real winner either, but the Right/West wing axis is harder to see there. Angela is probably not the worse thing on the world's stage at the moment. To give a (even if it's a lip service-) statement that you don't agree with gay marriage in the Western world is brave nowadays. Angela is sound on most things and is the perfect solid uncharismatic slightly dull leader that gets things done .Strong and stable to quote someone else. She did lose her marbles over immigration and open borders though. Perhaps her feminine maternal caring side won over her more calculating cautious instincts? Anyways she got rightly punished for a truly stupid error of judgement which affected all of Europe. |
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