The German nation grudgingly handed Angela Merkel a fourth term as chancellor in Sunday’s election but punished her for the refugee influx with a dramatic protest vote that ushered far-right nationalists into parliament for the first time in more than half a century.
Her conservatives remained the largest party with 32.9 percent according to projections based on initial results, but that was down more than eight points from 2013 in the party’s worst result since the post-war republic was founded in 1949.
But in a bombshell for the German establishment, the anti-Islam, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) has emerged as the country's third biggest political force.
Support for the far-right (AfD), which waged a fiercely anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim campaign, almost trebled to 13.3 percent, reflecting lingering fury among millions of Germans over her decision to allow in over one million refugees fleeing Syria and other conflict zones in the Middle East and Africa since 2015.
“We had expected a better result of course but we mustn’t forget that we’ve had an exceptionally challenging parliamentary term,” Ms. Merkel, 63,who was frequently heckled and even pelted with tomatoes at campaign rallies, told supporters in Berlin. “We face a big new challenge with the entry of the AfD into parliament, we want to regain the AfD’s voters by solving their problems, by listening to their concerns and fears and above all through good government.”
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Read more:
Germany votes amid fears of a right-wing resurgence
Martin Schulz, luckless challenger 'shadowboxing' Merkel
She stands for continuity but Merkel has changed Germany and made room for the far-right
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But the chancellor, in power since 2005 and dubbed the nation’s “Mutti” or “Mummy” by her supporters, will find governing much harder during what is expected to be her final term.
She is weaker now because her only option to form a government appears to be a potentially unstable three-way coalition with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats who are likely to wrest policy concessions in exchange for their support.
After a dismal performance, the centre-left Social Democrats, with whom she has governed in a "grand coallition" for the last four years, have already ruled out joining another coalition.
"The AFD's gains don't surprise me that much after Brexit and the US election,” Mohammed Ossman, 27, a refugee from Damascus now living in Berlin, told The National. “This is a backlash, a fury that people are having. It’s a reaction to a lot of Germans feeling that their identity is under threat from the refugee influx. This is an especially big issue in Germany because they have had an identity problem since the end of the Second World War. They have been unable to be proud of their identity for so long and are now searching for a new one just as the refugees have come.The question now is, will she treat refugees as an opportunity or will she treat them as a crisis?”
After the upheaval caused by the refugee crisis, which has cost the country billions of euros, stoked terrorism fears and overwhelmed some authorities that were forced to hurriedly commandeer sports halls to house refugees, Ms. Merkel’s re-election may come as a surprise to outsiders.
But the majority of Germans still see her as a safe pair of hands who has presided over a halving of the unemployment rate and strong economic growth while much of the rest of Europe has been mired in crisis for almost a decade.
“She’is trusted more than any of her rivals at a time when the overriding public sentiment is fear of the future in the uncertain world environment,” Gero Neugebauer, a political analyst at Berlin’s Free University, told The National. “Her motives may not always have been clear, but people have faith in her as a crisis manager focused on protecting the interests of the majority.”
But the rise of the AfD, which has become the third-strongest party in parliament, marks a stain on Germany’s image. Its members include politicians who have been likened to Nazis and whose comments have been racist and revisionist.
The AfD resorted to anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the campaign, using provocative posters such as one showing three white women in bikinis under the slogan “Burkas? We prefer bikinis.”
It has won support with calls for Germany to shut its borders, boost deportations and stop refugees bringing their families to join them, and caused outrage when leading AfD candidate Alexander Gauland said, “We have the right to be proud of the achievements of German soldiers in the two world wars.”
The rise of the AfD alarmed the country’s political establishment. Foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said saddened him that after the election there would again be "real Nazis standing at the lectern of the Reichstag [the parliament chamber]."
It will be the first time since 1953 that members of a far-right party have taken seats in parliament. Back then, the Socialist Reich Party, which consisted of Nazis and SS officers, had two members of parliament.
The oldest MP in the new Bundestag (federal parliament) is likely to be 77-year-old AfD man Wilhelm von Gottberg, who once called the Holocaust an “effective instrument to criminalise the Germans and their history.”
In the past, the oldest MP has traditionally opened the new session of parliament. But lawmakers were so worried that the honour may go to Mr. von Gottberg that they voted in June to change the rules. Now the longest-serving MP opens parliament. That will be finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble, 75, who has been an MP since 1972.
One poll on Sunday showed that 60 percent of people who voted AfD had done so in protest at other parties rather than out of support for the AfD, and that more than a million had switched allegiance from Ms. Merkel’s party. Analysts said support for the AfD was driven by fears among many Germans, particularly in the former communist east, about the impact of immigration on society.
“They’re concerned about the fundamental question of what society and the country should look like in future,” said Holger Lengfeld, a sociology professor at the University of Leipzig. “We’re dealing with an evidently sizeable minority of the population that deeply rejects the cultural changes seen in recent years.”
Mr. Ossman, who survived the dangers of the Syrian war, the Libyan conflict and a perilous Mediterranean crossing with hundreds of other people packed in a fishing boat, said the AfD and its rhetoric don’t scare him.
“I know the AfD won't grow so powerful that they become really threatening," he said. "Germany is the next country in the populism wave. But it's not as bad as we’ve seen in other countries.”
ut in a bombshell for the German establishment, the anti-Islam, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) captured around 13 per cent, making it the country's third biggest political force.
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (All UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (11.30pm)
Saturday
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
FA Augsburg v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen (6.30pm)
SC Paderborn v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Monchengladbach (9.30pm)
Sunday
Cologne v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
Mainz v FC Schalke (9pm)
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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Ronaldo's record at Man Utd
Seasons 2003/04 - 2008/09
Appearances 230
Goals 115
