If you're in Germany or know some Germans, talk as much as you can about how this is what Musk wants to do via the AfD to us here. The election is a little over two weeks away. Right now, the CDU/CSU ("normal" conservatives) look to be getting the largest number of votes, but nowhere near enough to govern on their own. They've been a little too flirty with the AfD (currently in second place), and the worst thing that could happen is that they forget what they learned in school about what happened to the centrist and conservative parties in the early 1930s, and take the AfD as their coalition partner instead of trying to work something out with the SPD and Greens.
There's a reason that Germany's current main center-right parties were both born after the war.
Germany can be saved only by a major political reset. The mainstream parties are so flawed that it may be easier to replace them, than to fix.
Greens just went through a stupid political scandal in Berlin where the leftist radical wing tried to frame a realo candidate for sexual harassment.
SPD goes to this election with the worst chancellor in history. CDU lost its mind and voted together with AFD. FDP is serving a few special interests groups. Die Linke are borderline irrelevant.
We are in a strange situation where we have strong presence on populist left and right, but no decent political force in the center to contain them.
> Germany can be saved only by a major political reset. The mainstream parties are so flawed that it may be easier to replace them, than to fix.
Ironically enough, this very much sounds like the "let's re-write and everything will be better" fallacy encountered in software engineering.
That aside, what you are wishing for is a war and/or revolution where the pillars of society have been shattered to pieces, the old incumbents removed/killed/retired, and where a new political landscape is built upon the ruins and ashes of what has been.
Germany can be saved only by a major political reset. The mainstream parties are so flawed that it may be easier to replace them, than to fix.
Be careful what you wish for. If AfD would grab the power (unlikely at this point), it'll weaken Germany nationally and internationally like the US is being weakened now.
At this point the biggest weakening factor is our political mainstream. In 100 years, if nothing changes, Germany will be Argentina of today. I’m not afraid of AfD, they lack practically everything to become new NSDAP. I’m afraid that whatever next coalition is, they will miss every opportunity to make a difference.
Yes, he sold out after he left office and was criticized for it heavily. Earlier he stood up to the US criticizing the second Iraq war.
(Most of Europe, including Britain, got gas via Nordstream and its distribution network. France and The Netherlands also owned part of it but are never criticized.)
>Yes, he sold out after he left office and was criticized for it heavily.
No I'm fairly certain he sold out in office and then reaped the rewards upon leaving.
>Earlier he stood up to the US criticizing the second Iraq war.
Which is ultimately good but largely unrelated.
>Most of Europe, including Britain, got gas via Nordstream and its distribution network.
Most of Europe is easily divided and Russia made it worthwhile for those involved.
At the end of the day tho I believe from Russia's end it was about taking away bargaining power and influence from various eastern european countries. A pricing map for their gas showed it's wielded as a political pressuring tool. There was no capacity limit to existing pipelines nevertheless when european countries got cold feet Russia was happy to turn down the tap and blame it on north stream's shutdown despite every other avenue being wide open.
>France and The Netherlands also owned part of it but are never criticized.)
Their companies being involved should be duly criticized perhaps. But let's be honest. A head of state so blatantly doing something like that is an easy thing to notice and target. Especially when related policy decisions went well beyond north stream.
There's a reason that Germany's current main center-right parties were both born after the war.