Living in Germany is our weekly look at some of the news and talking points in Germany that you might not have heard about. Members can receive it directly to their inbox on Saturday.
Why is support rising for the far-right in eastern Germany?
With state elections taking place in a year in the eastern state of Saxony, a poll published this week revealed how voters are feeling - and it painted a bleak picture. The Insa poll found that 35 percent of respondents would vote for the anti-immigration and anti-green agenda party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), in Saxony if an election was held today.
That gives the party a clear six-point lead over the conservative CDU, who snagged 29 percent in the survey. Nine percent of respondents said they would vote for the Left Party (Die Linke), while the Social Democrats (SPD) scored seven percent, followed by the Greens on six percent and the Free Democrats (FDP) on five percent.
Although the state elections are some time away, this raises important questions. For instance, parties in Germany have said they will not enter into a coalition with the AfD - including at the state level.
But what happens if support for the AfD remains at this level, or even rises? How would voters react if the AfD was not included in a government? And, why is support for the far-right rising, particularly in eastern states?
Discontentment among some of the population has been growing for some time, which political scientists put down to various factors. These include the energy crisis and the effects of rising inflation, the handling of the Covid pandemic and the effects of a divided society following the separation and then the fall of the Berlin Wall more than 30 years ago.
Another major factor is unhappiness with the current government. A separate poll released this week found only 19 percent of respondents were very satisfied or satisfied with the performance of the coalition, made up of the Social SPD, Greens, and liberal FDP.
One of the ironies is that the AfD, which takes a hard line against foreigners, is seeing this spike in support in a state that would benefit greatly from more immigration, as Germany grapples with skilled worker shortages and an ageing population.
But will the party - or the people who say they would vote for the AfD - recognise these kinds of challenges? Or is it more of a protest vote?
We’ll be watching this situation closely.
Tweet of the week
The taps in Germany do seem to be more efficient than in Britain.
People often ask me what's the fundamental difference between Britain and Germany.
— Nic Houghton (@40PercentGerman) August 24, 2023
I can't say for certain, but I do have some ideas... pic.twitter.com/Nr0dAfP8ei
Where is this?
Photo: DPA/Bernd Wüstneck
The sun is coming back this week after a little break. What better way to enjoy it than on the coast?
If you live near the water or you have a holiday planned up north, make sure to check out the iconic little baskets, such as those pictured here in Kühlungsborn on the Baltic Sea (Ostsee auf Deutsch). Just be prepared for wind since it never really lets up in the German coastal regions.
Did you know?
You may be familiar with Nutella, the wildly addictive chocolate hazelnut spread that is delicious on toast or straight from the jar with a spoon if you’re having a particularly bad day.
But did you know about the eastern German version? Nudossi was known as the GDR’s answer to Nutella (which originally comes from Italy). Made by the Saxon and Dresdner baking and confectionery company, Nudossi comes in a distinctive plastic container with a red lid.
Production was discontinued after German reunification as demand had dropped. But it was brought back again in 1999 largely due to ‘Ostalgie’ (nostalgia for East German things).
It’s available today across Germany and you can pick it up in almost any supermarket. Even though it’s compared to Nutella, Nudossi does taste quite different, especially these days because the recipe has changed over the years. Nudossi has a hazelnut content of 36 percent compared to Nutella's 13 percent.
Meanwhile, those who don’t want their hazelnut cocoa spread with palm oil can buy a palm oil-free version of Nudossi. It does beg the question: which chocolate hazelnut spread is better? You can be the judge of that (and do let us know if you try it!)
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