Germany Strugles to Explain FarRight Election Success

[Gloria]

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytcal
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com


2//DW-Worlde.de/Deutsche Welle, Germany 19.09.2006

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2178563,00.html



GERMANY STRUGGLES TO EXPLAIN FAR-RIGHT ELECTION SUCCESS



Politicians are scrambling to clarify why the far-right NPD won seats in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's state assembly last weekend. But explanations should be replaced by long-term deliberation, say analysts.


SNIP



"We had feared it would happen, so we weren't surprised," said Botsch, an expert on right-wing extremism.



The "nice Nazi from next door"

According to Botsch, the results were in part due to the party's strategy. For one, the NPD had the help of neo-Nazi comradeships.



"The NPD is allied with these groups, who, for example, systematically apply intimidation tactics at events of the major democratic parties," Botsch said. In addition, the NPD took on a very civic appearance.



"It's the idea of the nice Nazi from next door," said Toralf Staud, author of the book "Modern Nazis" and a writer on right-wing extremism since 1998. These neo-Nazis have become an integral part of civil society across wide areas. In small towns and villages, right-wing extremists have for the large part taken over civic programs for children and youth, for example.


SNIP


There, where the state and its educational facilities are increasingly retreating, where sociopolitical groups such as religious communities are closing down their institutions, neo-Nazis are investing in youth work -- and infiltrating a generation with their ideology.

MUCH MORE

[whistle]

1. The fuckers come out of the dirt like anthrax spores to poison the

...rest of us.

[muntrv]

2. History is repeating itself.

[bullimiami]

4. kind of. economy in germany is bad. conditions for workers getting worse.

things they have taken for granted getting harder to depend on.

merkel and the wingers taking advantage of it.

[and-justice-for-all]

9. Thats odd...I have a friend from Germany

and he goes home twice a year because he he working on his masters at IU and he has never made mention if things in Germany was bad. He is going to IU in Bloomington Indiana because degree status is viewed differently in Germany, I cant recall details but he seems to find it valid to earn a degree here in the states and then 'perhaps' return to Europe; he has yet to make that call.

[Kellanved]

10. The economy is actually pretty good

As stated below, it's not a new problem. The rural states suffer from brain drain, low vote turnout and lack of perspective.

[bullimiami]

14. the economy is not good. we have working class friends in germany.

although they are still in a much stronger position as workers than those in the us they are getting crunched by the same multinational globalism and drive for profit at any expense that we are.

[Leopolds Ghost]

15. "lack of perspective"

The economy is great elsehwere, people trapped in suffering rural areas just don't see the benefits to society as a whole from the big picture.

[PSPS]

3. This is like the domestic RW strategy ...

... started years ago when they decided to begin by infiltrating local school boards and go on from there ("right-wing extremists have for the large part taken over civic programs for children and youth, for example.")

Now we have Jesus Camp.

[Gloria]

5. My thoughts excactly, PSPS.....reading further into the article,

the similarities get even more striking....

[rockymountaindem]

6. Only 38% of Eastern Germans support democracy?

And only 71% of westerners? Oh man, that's pathetic.

[Kellanved]

11. depends on the poll

But it was a cherry picked date.
94% of East Germans agree with "I don't want to do without my Democratic rights"; 8% want more authority; 7% a one party system.

[rockymountaindem]

13. Well, ok then

That makes me feel a lot better.

[Kellanved]

7. as usual, the article is sensationalistic

And overly simplifies the problem. This always happens after elections: a loud whine "it's the east, it is getting worse, they are now the "nice Nazis next door"".

BS.

The media is using that exact same article since the 80s. Since the 80s. there was practically no year in which no Nazis were elected into one state Parliament or another; in the 90s we had a Nazi result in the 15% ballpark. Even in western states, we have already seen Nazis gaining more than 10% (1992, Baden-Wuerttemberg).
As to the "Nazis in suits": nobody has ever seen them. The thing is largely an Urban Legend, offered as a convenient explanation not requiring too much thought, and every time it is presented as a new phenomenon. Since the 80s.

However: the reality is different: those people are Nazi filth. They show it with every move, every word. They are not normal people from next door. They do not attempt to disguise it and people vote for them anyway. And every time the media goes "oh my. Where is this coming from. Why didn't we know about this. It must be that they are looking so nice now". It is getting lame. They should instead start reporting more about far right hate crimes.

The thing is certainly not getting better, but two weeks of panic after each election won't solve the problem. A problem that has been present for two decades now. At the same time the media hardly mentions the the CDU minister von der Leyen is cutting the money going into youth work.

[and-justice-for-all]

8. Election Fraud perhaps!

[malaise]

12. Popey went to help them

the timing of his visits always seem to favour Merkel.