#290: Euro vote, Euro football, Euro visit
#290: Euro vote, Euro football, Euro visit
The truth about fax machines
Dear 20 Percent,
I guess the European parliamentary elections on Sunday could have been worse. After all, 84% of German voters that actually voted didn’t vote for the extreme-right, racist, anti-EU AfD.
Thirty percent went for the conservative CDU/CSU, which I’m not thrilled about — but okay. The AfD came in second place with 16%, more than any of the three parties in the traffic-light coalition running the country (SPD, Greens, FDP). Stinkefinger (middle finger) for Olaf Scholz. And simply extraordinary considering the recent scandals surrounding the AfD: a “remigration plan” in the works, allegations that an aide spied for China, comments about the SS, alleged cash payments from Russia. And on and on.
The AfD cleaned up in the east of the country, where it won in Brandenburg (our neighbours), Thüringen, Sachsen-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Sachsen (where it scored nearly 40% of votes). Three eastern state elections in the fall could propel the blue fascists into power in the region.
The far-right did well among younger voters, which does not bode well for the future of this country.
Berlin didn’t submit to the blue wave sweeping the east. Here, the Greens did best (19.6%) with the Nazis (let’s call things by their name) gaining votes but reaching only 4th place. Here’s an interactive map highlighting how every neighbourhood voted.
More news below!
Maurice
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Zelenskyy in town
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be here through Wednesday to attend a Ukraine Reconstruction Conference at the exhibition grounds in Charlotteburg, writes RBB. The police are out in full force and expect plenty of traffic disruption including buses, U-Bahn and S-Bahn across central Berlin. Zelenskyy speaks in the Bundestag later today (Tuesday).
Boomer bomb
The number of people who received an old-age pension from the state pension insurance scheme for the first time rose significantly in 2023 compared to 2022. About 953,000 began receiving their pension, 8.9% more than in 2022, according to new figures from Deutsche Rentenversicherung, reported by Tagesspiegel. As everyone knows, Germany is stumbling into a demographic timebomb — last year the birth rate fell by 6.2%. Immigration is surely part of the answer to this pressing issue — but many German voters do not seem happy about that prospect (see above).
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Flags verboten
Palestinian and Israeli flags won't be allowed at the two official Euro 2024 fan zones in Berlin, says Kulturprojekte GmbH, the state-run company organising official football events in the city. Fans will only be allowed to bring flags of the 24 teams taking part. The two zones are at the Brandenburg Gate and at the Reichstag, home to the Bundestag. In Euro stadiums, only flags of the competing teams and rainbow flags are permitted.
👇Some events curated in partnership with The Next Day Berlin!👇
Reflexes & Reflections: 7 October, the war in Gaza and the debate in Germany
Thu-Sun 13-16.06 Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Schaperstraße 24, 10719 Berlin. Tickets: €5.
In four days focused on this topic, the Berliner Festspiele aims to create a space for nuanced reflection without taking sides. This program is curated by political scholar Saba-Nur Cheema and historian Meron Mendel. Both have long been involved in Jewish-Muslim dialogue, combating anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and examining the impact of Middle Eastern conflicts on coexistence in Germany.
Join Scotland! Celebrate Euro 2024 with Berlin's Scottish community The Scottish community in Berlin invites all football fans to public viewings for their Euro 2024 matches. Each group stage match will be screened at Prenzlauer Berg's Kulturbrauerei with a bagpiper performing live before the opening match against host nation Germany on Friday. Scottish new folk band, Assynt perform a live set before the final group match on 23rd June after their headline slot in front of the Reichstag in the 'Fan Mile'. And while we’re on the topic of Euro 2024, here’s a list of public viewing spots across the city.
We Are In This Together Episode 1
Thursday, 13.06, 2 - 10 pm. Neue Nationalgalerie, Potsdamer Str., 50. Free admission.
An afternoon with Cultivation, a community of 21 multidisciplinary creatives, in an immersive, ethically sourced botanical environment on the terrace. Performances, ambient soundscapes, live radio shows, and concerts with recycled materials and a hi-fi sound system. 🌿 Plus, a free visit to the Andy Warhol exhibition!
İÇ İÇE Festival
Saturday, 15.06, 2 pm. Festsaal Kreuzberg, Am Flutgraben 2, 12435 Berlin. Tickets: €24.62.
The İÇ İÇE Festival invites music lovers to celebrate Anatolian sounds and culture. The festival transcends genres with music, performances, workshops, readings, and discussions on solidarity, racism, and empowerment. Run by a diverse, mostly queer and migrant team, it fosters cultural dialogue and visibility for diaspora issues. There is a special event on Friday at Orangerie from 4 pm with free entrance.
📠Factoid📠
Germans love to fax. So goes the myth. But is it true? Yes, at least when it comes to Berlin bureaucrats. In a “fax check” last week, RBB dusted off a 2023 internal Berlin government report: 5,333 fax machines were in use last year. Some 189 out of 731 state services can only be applied for by fax. The internal report asked departments why they fax so much. The fax machine is “the basis for communication with other Berlin administrations”, replied Bezirksamt Mitte. Pro-fax comments included things like: “fast”, “safe”, “backup in case of IT outtage”. The administration is currently doing a fax re-count to see if usage has dropped since last year.
Germany-wide news
👴 Germany is getting old, hurting the economy
🍑 Interest in public nudity waning
⚽How Germany is ramping up security for 'high-risk' England game
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How can this many actual Germans be voting for actual Nazis?? I just can't begin to understand it. Maybe if you're skint, and you've been tricked in to some Nazi trickle down economics. But these rich kids in Brandenburg?? Are the migrants in the room with you right now?? I'm terrified. This is bad.