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Germany risks facing ‘winter of anger’ – media — Analysis

German media outlets warned that rising energy prices and increased living expenses could spark protests and make it easier for radicals.

Germany’s federal and regional governments are bracing for a potential wave of protests that might come this autumn or winter, German ARD and RBB broadcasters reported this week. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s cabinet fears that rising food and energy prices could lead to social unrest and be exploited by various “radical”Movements, and the outlets add.

The media reports that the demonstrations could be similar to those in Germany during the Covid-19 epidemic, which saw resistance from the government to its vaccination and lockdown policies. According to ARD’s Tagesschau news service, some groups have already sought to organize protests in Berlin under the slogans “Revolt,” “Uprising,” “Civil War.” 

Media reports suggest that protestors could once more unite people who are known in Germany as Querdenker (lateral thinkers). This loose group of grassroots movements was prominent during the anti lockdown protests. The German media has repeatedly pointed to the movement’s supposed links to various far-right extremist groups.


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According to RBB, some Querdenker activists have already made plans to protest RBB’s description of Querdenker activism. “hot autumn”The “winter of anger.”

“Free Saxony”Movement in the eastern German state Saxony was also called for “massive civil resistance,”Tagesschau cites Matthias Quent as a researcher at the Magdeburg Stendal University of Applied Sciences. 

Saxony’s interior minister, Armin Schuster, also told ARD that his ministry was preparing for “various”Adding some scenarios “groups, activists or parties”Might be interested “exploit”The current state of affairs for their specific goals. Some are able to “mobilize and agitate”He said that people were already attracted to his ministry.

The media reported that Robert Habeck, German Economy Minister was also criticised during his summer trip across Germany. His speech in Bayreuth (Bavaria) was also criticized. “massively disturbed”This week. Reports say that protestors called for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to ease the crisis in the energy sector. The protestors also demanded that Russia’s sanctions be lifted. 

These demands were then labeled by Tagesschau as “a” “pro-Putin, anti-liberal stance,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was broadly condemned by Western leaders over Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine.


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Schuster inzwischen a called for “cross-departmental crisis team”to reduce rising prices and energy cost, as well prevent potential social unrest. “The quality of the federal government’s crisis management will be a decisive factor in the extent of the existential fears and thus possible social protests,”He said that Berlin should not fail to handle the crisis in a proper manner, and that a “large protest movement”Germany would be the next. 

Germany has been bracing for an energy crisis as the EU attempts to reduce the bloc’s reliance on Russian energy amid a standoff over Moscow’s military action in Ukraine. Gas prices have nearly quadrupled this year, primarily due to a shrinking flow from Russia, the continent’s major supplier.

German officials have already taken some measures to prevent this from happening, such as limiting maximum temperatures within public buildings or creating new heating zones. “warm-up spaces”To help people who are struggling to pay their heating bill.

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