Summary: Limiting Liberalism Or Generous Germany
Chapter 4: Limiting Liberalism or Generous Germany?
If we now have to start apologizing for showing a friendly face in response to emergency situations, then that’s not my country. - Angela Merkel.
To repent for WWII floods of Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis have entered Germany, and there “…suddenly become an image of openness, generosity and solidarity.” (Godin, 2015). Following on from racist violence against Turks in the 1980s and early 1990s, there was the rise of the far-right anti-immigrant parties. The most popular group being the German Peoples Union (DVU). It was until recently that the DVU remained quiet, but in 2003, in elections in Bremerhaven, the DVU polled 8.4 per cent and gained four seats in the council assembly (Messina, 2007: 60). When Angela Merkel became the Chancellor of Germany in 2005 she found herself “…in a delicate political …show more content…
The average German is 49 years old, and with increasing labour shortages, Germany is in need of young migrants (Connolly, 2015). 46% of German employers are currently stating difficulty in gaining employees and Merkel has supported the longer effects of immigration policy, as the real demographic crisis is said to hit in 2025 (Godin, 2015). Germany remains the EU’s largest economy “…representing 20.9 per cent of the EU-27’s gross domestic product in 2009.” (Bulmer & Paterson, 2010: 1056). This economic position has been translated into power presence and thus, has “…enabled it to play a very large role in uploading preferences to the EU level.” (Bulmer & Paterson, 2010: 1058). Only political gain rather than loss can be acquired from this position, particularly at EU level as “…the German government and German authorities are handling the situation in a characteristically pragmatic and orderly fashion.” (Lee, 2015:
If we now have to start apologizing for showing a friendly face in response to emergency situations, then that’s not my country. - Angela Merkel.
To repent for WWII floods of Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis have entered Germany, and there “…suddenly become an image of openness, generosity and solidarity.” (Godin, 2015). Following on from racist violence against Turks in the 1980s and early 1990s, there was the rise of the far-right anti-immigrant parties. The most popular group being the German Peoples Union (DVU). It was until recently that the DVU remained quiet, but in 2003, in elections in Bremerhaven, the DVU polled 8.4 per cent and gained four seats in the council assembly (Messina, 2007: 60). When Angela Merkel became the Chancellor of Germany in 2005 she found herself “…in a delicate political …show more content…
The average German is 49 years old, and with increasing labour shortages, Germany is in need of young migrants (Connolly, 2015). 46% of German employers are currently stating difficulty in gaining employees and Merkel has supported the longer effects of immigration policy, as the real demographic crisis is said to hit in 2025 (Godin, 2015). Germany remains the EU’s largest economy “…representing 20.9 per cent of the EU-27’s gross domestic product in 2009.” (Bulmer & Paterson, 2010: 1056). This economic position has been translated into power presence and thus, has “…enabled it to play a very large role in uploading preferences to the EU level.” (Bulmer & Paterson, 2010: 1058). Only political gain rather than loss can be acquired from this position, particularly at EU level as “…the German government and German authorities are handling the situation in a characteristically pragmatic and orderly fashion.” (Lee, 2015: