Lee Heidhues 2.4.2022
A German pollster has taken a look at how German voters are feeling two months after the new Coalition government took office. A partnering of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the Free Democrats (FDP). Voters are disapproving of the new government which is dealing with the Pandemic, a fragile economy and the tension over Ukraine.
What is more intriguing is that by a large majority all spectrums of political thought in Germany oppose weapons being given to Ukraine. The comments of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock earlier in the year that Germans don’t want to provide weapons that could be used to kill Russians is shown in the poll results.
The memory of the Nazi regime invading Russia in 1941 and the resultant slaughter on both sides still impacts Germany.
https://www.dw.com/en/why-germany-refuses-weapons-deliveries-to-ukraine/a-60483231
Germany’s stance regarding Ukraine is heresy to American political leadership where the Mainstream Media is beating the drums to take a strong stance against Russia.
The Wall Street Journal has been particularly critical of the German government, labeling them a weak ally and a country which can no longer be depended on to look out for Western interests.
Excerpted from Deutsche Welle 2.4.2022
“Where is Olaf Scholz?” That’s a question that has been circulating on social media in Germany since the beginning of the year.
Whether it’s about arms deliveries to Ukraine, the diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in China, the debate about introducing a general vaccine mandate to combat the COVID pandemic or measures against galloping inflation figures — the chancellor seems all but invisible, his statements seem vague.
This negatively impacted his approval ratings in the latest survey by pollster Infratest Dimap, in which 1,339 individuals across the country were polled by telephone (876) or online (463) between January 31 and February 2.
Only 43% of respondents said they were satisfied with Chancellor Olaf Scholz. One month ago that figure still stood at 60%.
The majority of respondents side with the German government and oppose arms deliveries to Ukraine, and only 43% are in favor of economic sanctions against Russia. The respondents were split on the question of whether NATO should issue security guarantees to Russia. There is more sympathy with Russia in eastern Germany, the part of the country that until 1990 was the communist East German GDR and a staunch ally of the government in Moscow.
Top photo. German Foreign Minister Baerbock with US Secretary of State Tony Blinken
https://www.dw.com/en/new-german-government-sees-drop-in-opinion-polls/a-60652398
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