It is one year that Merkel’s Germany has her “open door” immigration policy and this weekend there has been the first regional election in Northern Germany.
A few qualifications: Northen Germany has always been the most right wing part of Germany. It is one of the poorest states in Germany (Germany is a federal republic), but also had one of the lowest intake of immigrants (circa 2% of the total). But also the home State for Merkel.
Apart the broad media attention, Germany, due to its wealth and efficiency, had quite a few successes in dealing with immigrants – after the initial shock and awe.
Most of immigrants have been successfully housed and a great part of them behave quite good (even thou, statistically, on a million people there are quite a few bad apples in any case).
What Germany did not do very well (and nobody could) is integration. Even hiring 12,000 teachers for integration course has been not enough and very few of the under skilled migrants found employment – even the one that wanted. Plus there is a majority of people that for religious motives will not work or integrate.
So practically Germany is the place with the potential for the best solution.
And the election (still polling)
Merkel’s CDU lost badly coming 3rd at 19.8%. Alternative for Germany (right wing, anti immigration_ came second at 21.4% and first came in the Centre Left Party SPD (but lost 5% since previous election).
So, notwithstanding the not so bad outcome, people are voting right as they are scared.
Is it the masses always wrong and this is the rise of the populism? This is how the media spins it.
Maybe it is. But there is also an alternative view
“We will colonize you with your democratic laws.” — Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Egyptian Islamic cleric and chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars. This is an extremist preacher refused entry VISA from both the UK and France – so not representative of the masses – but exactly what the masses are scared of and not completely a fantasy.
investorpolitico 