Common Cause: Germany Waves "Auf Wiedersehen" and the Swiss Swing Right?

AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

The tie that binds? Voters are tired of “immigrants.”

Germany is having a real time of it lately. Besides the Greens getting shellacked over bankrupting their citizenry while driving the country into the Dark Ages – and I do mean dark – one of the most cherished aspirational goals of their former long-time chancellor looks to be on its last legs as well.

Advertisement

Merkel, Schmerkel – who needs these all frickin’ “immigrant” headaches? It seems as if Chancellor Olaf Scholz is listening to either his voters, or maybe even he has had enough.

He spoke to Der Spiegel after a trip to Israel to confer and support the government there after the Hamas attack, and dropped, what was for German policy, essentially a bombshell.

DER SPIEGEL: There are apparently people here in Germany who don’t see it that way. On German streets, particularly in Berlin, there have been violent anti-Semitic protests in recent days. How is that possible in a country that has vowed to “Never Again” allow this to happen?

Scholz: Such acts are reprehensible. And yes, we have committed ourselves to “Never Again.” That is why we must decisively stand up to all those who chant anti-Semitic slogans, who burn the Israeli flag, who unashamedly celebrate the death of those killed in the Hamas terror attack. They are all crimes that must be punished.

DER SPIEGEL: Among those in Germany who harbor hatred for Israel are many people with Arab roots. Did German policymakers ignore for too long the deep hatred entrenched in some groups?

Scholz: I don’t agree that anyone has ignored that issue. We have been keeping a close eye on it for quite some time.

DER SPIEGEL: Apparently not close enough. Should Germany be paying more attention to who is coming into the country and who is allowed to stay?

Scholz: We have been doing that for a long time. But we will now be differentiating even more precisely. On the one hand, there is the immigration of workers that we need. And there are those who are seeking asylum because they are the targets of political oppression. On the other hand, though, that means that all those who don’t belong to one of those groups cannot stay. That is why we are limiting irregular migration to Germany. Too many people are coming.

Advertisement

Scholz rattles off measures they’re taking right now, such as making sure people are first being registered in their country of entry, vice being waived through to Germany – again a sea change in German policy. Then the reporter asks him about reducing numbers, and seems to have to take a step back when Scholz says the “D” word, as if that is a completely foreign term. Of course, it might well be to someone who has only known Merkel style immigration in Germany.

Scholz: As I said, it can only be done with a package of measures. And I haven’t even mentioned one important one yet: We must finally deport on a large scale those who have no right to stay in Germany.

DER SPIEGEL: What does that mean?

Scholz: Those who are not likely to be granted permission to stay in Germany because they cannot claim a need for protection must go back. To make that possible, our public authorities must be reachable around the clock so that someone can actually be deported when the federal police take them into custody. We also must finally press ahead with the digitalization of the Immigration Office – the paper era must come to an end. Procedures must be accelerated, with asylum applications and initial interviews taking place in the initial reception facility. Court proceedings must also speed up. In some states, initial rulings in deportation cases come after four months, while in others, it takes 39 months. That is unacceptable. We have to deport people more often and faster.

Advertisement

Jeez. I wonder why he’s in such a rush?

They seem so nice.

A little rowdy, but fireworks!

Der Spiegel is as confused as any liberal rag ever – completely oblivious.

DER SPIEGEL: You are striking a new, tougher tone on migration policy. What caused you to make the change?

Scholz: I have thought this way in all of the positions I have held. And I have spoken this way as well.

It’s not just the bbqs on the streets, either, I’m sure. Scholz has his hands full with non-German citizens acting as if they don’t really appreciate the better place they’ve been allowed into, even as bleeding heart advocates for immigration try to massage “nuances” in the data.

This boils down to drivel like below, which is: “Oh, they only dominate the rape statistics because they’re young males and Germany is an aging population. They’d be criminals ANYWHERE.”

I mean, come on.

The nuances in the data
With islamophobia on the rise and media becoming increasingly negative towards refugees, the question remains whether they truly are introducing more crime, which can only be answered by the existing data.

At first glance, refugees are disproportionately represented in general crime, as suspects recorded as refugees make up 8.5%. This is much higher than their representation in the population at 1.9%.

The demographic differences between refugees and the rest of the population is key to understanding why the rate is disproportionate. 73% of refugees were under the age of 30 in 2017, and 66% male.

Young men are most likely to commit a crime
This group of young men is the most likely to commit a crime regardless of background. Especially when economic and social strains are added.

Thus, while refugees are over-represented as suspects of sexual assault at 9%, their demographics are what largely stand against them. Particularly in comparison with a German population that is aging, with an average age of 45.

Advertisement

The default for the lefty mag is to call Scholz a chicken Schlitz in face of his party’s losses to the “far-right” AFD in the recent Bavarian and Hessen elections. You can dang near hear Scholz bristle.

DER SPIEGEL: You haven’t spoken this way as German chancellor. You have left Interior Minister Nancy Faeser to deal with the situation on her own. Our impression is that the results achieved by the Alternative for Germany party in state elections in Bavaria and Hesse have convinced you to change your tune.

Scholz: Your impression is wrong. I am opposed to tactical politics. It must always be about the matter at hand and about finding concrete solutions to specific problems.

DER SPIEGEL: We have a hard time believing that.

Dawg. I know a reporter who isn’t getting a Christmas card.

Scholz isn’t alone in being raked over the coals over the ruinous the state of immigration in his country. On Sunday, Swiss voters made their displeasure with the current state of affairs known, too.

Look at this ridiculous Reuters headline…

Swiss shift rightwards in vote as immigration fears trump environment

…and contrast it with what Swiss voters were saying.

Switzerland moved rightwards in an election on Sunday, giving the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) more seats in parliament as concerns about rising immigration outweighed those about the environment, final results showed on Monday.

While the change is unlikely to alter the make up of the country’s governing Federal Council consisting of seven members from four different parties – including two from the SVP – analysts said it pointed to a shift in the political climate.

The result suggests a move away from progressive themes like the environment and transport, and a return to conservatism, they said, after a period marked by crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Advertisement

The liberal left is absolutely spazzing, but what voters were concerned about leading to the gains for the SVP seem pretty kitchen-table to my jaundiced eyes.

… The increase – 3 percentage points higher than the 2019 election – means the SVP gets 62 seats in the 200 member National Council, nine more than it had before.

The outcome was also seen as a rebuff of parties seen as representing the political elite who have been criticised for being out of touch with ordinary voters as the cost of living – particularly of health care – rises.

The consequences of the left-green asylum, immigration and energy policies are devastating for our country,” the SVP said in a statement late on Sunday.

“Housing shortage, rising rents, concreting over of the countryside, traffic jams, falling school standards, cost explosion in health care, the state is becoming more and more expensive and powerful and people have less and less money at their disposal.”

The SVP also highlighted the expense of the asylum system, while arguing that crime rates were rising because of immigration.

Well…what’s to argue? And they’ll even call in the “Trump” bogeyman to try to scare these people out of what they are actually experiencing thanks to their government’s incompetence and this disastrous dance with the Greens? Not to mention the fact, the ONLY place that name shows up is IN the headline – projection much, al-Reuters?

Advertisement

The socialists, Greens, and uber left have got to be really running scared all over the European Union.

It’s kind of neat.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement