2024-05-08 07:21:09
They explain to the world what is currently going on in politics, the economy and everyday life of Germans. Correspondents from foreign media report how they currently perceive Germany.
Crisis reports are currently the order of the day in Germany: the economy is weakening, the government is divided, the railway is late and right-wing extremists have majorities in parliament. One question is getting louder and louder: What is going on with Germany at the moment?
Germany correspondents from foreign media regularly report on events in our country. You know how the world looks at Germany. Are things really that bad for us? t-online asked correspondents from different countries to share their views on Germany.
Aktham Suliman: Politically, only PR is done
“As a journalist, it is more difficult for me than before to explain developments to the outside world. Just two years ago, for example, Olaf Scholz said that Germany would have the largest conventional NATO army in Europe. Other countries listen up when an announcement like this is made. However, Germany has not yet come close to doing this justice. In the economy it is said that there is growth and then again something like that happens every few months. Something always comes up or the politicians no longer agree on efficiency and clarity.
Other countries are now taking decisions and processes in this country less seriously. Politically, PR is all that is done in Germany. It’s just a matter of analyzing the current situation without offering any perspectives. The inflation rate has reduced and this is being celebrated with great celebration, but in a figurative sense this only means that the train that runs over you is now moving slower. Germany can hardly offer anything economically that other countries cannot offer.
To person
Aktham Suliman, 54, came to Germany from Syria in 1989. He was the Germany correspondent for the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera for ten years. He now works as a freelance journalist and Middle East expert in Berlin.
Germany has even fallen behind when it comes to football. It was a shock when the German national team was eliminated in the preliminary round of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and was more concerned with political and moral issues than with football. This is a trend that can also be seen in other areas. Germany has a moral claim to everything. There is potential for conflict at every point. The conflicting parties are hostile to each other. But I don’t see the current government alone as being responsible for this, it’s the continuation of a trend that gives you the feeling that the country is in danger of collapsing.”
Vendeline von Bredow: Germany is resting on its successes
“Although it has been clear for some time that the golden years of the German economy are over, I sense a new level of alarmism. The fear of inflation is clearly noticeable. In the supermarket I often hear conversations about how people are becoming less and less can afford.
Nevertheless, many are only partially willing to work hard for a wealthy lifestyle. Germany used to stand for discipline, punctuality and hard work. The core values still exist, but Germany is currently resting on its previous successes. Because prosperity is a given for the current working population, the willingness to work for it has decreased. In an international comparison, Germans work significantly less than people in Asian countries, for example.
To person
Vendeline von Bredow, 54, is senior Germany correspondent for the international business magazine “The Economist” based in London. Before moving to Berlin in 2019, she was stationed as a correspondent in Chicago.
Interest abroad in what is happening in Germany has grown even more as a result of the current crises. The English are concerned about the growing support for the AfD. Especially this year with the elections in Thuringia, Brandenburg and Saxony. The large “demonstrations against the right” following the Correctiv research were perceived positively. Nevertheless, the AfD is still very strong, even in West Germany.
Last year in “The Economist” we asked the question “Is Germany once again the sick man of Europe?” (Is Germany once again the sick man in Europe?) The question mark is still there. Not everything is going bad. For example, I find it amazing how Germany has mastered the energy crisis. In the end, the impact was not nearly as bad as many predicted.”
Ewald König: Excessive bureaucracy holds up a lot of things
“I was a big fan of Berlin from the start and I still am. Nevertheless, I notice that a lot of things have ‘gone away’ since then. The German clichés such as economic strength, reliability and efficiency no longer exist.
I was recently at the International Tourism Fair in Berlin. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn and Lufthansa went on strike, which ironically reflected the state of the country. The international exhibitors are thinking about their part. Germany is becoming increasingly unpopular as a location for such events.