Predictably unpredictable

What do expect from a coalition government of three consisting of Green utopians, spendthrift social democratic regulation freaks and free-market capitalists (true liberals, in other words)?

This is how Germans vote. Remember: “Every country has the government it deserves.” Just look at the Banana Republic itself, if you don’t believe me.

EU partners lose trust in Berlin after policy U-turns – Lawmakers and diplomats in Brussels express frustration at Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s unpredictable coalition.

For years Germany was seen as a rock of stability and predictability in the EU. These days, its partners wonder what curveball Berlin will throw at them next. 

Last week the German government sent shockwaves through Brussels by withdrawing its support for a piece of legislation that it had long appeared to back: the EU’s new supply chain law.

Who says Germany isn’t world-class anymore?

It’s achievements like these that will silence the critics.

Germans beat record beer drinking session – More than 40 Germans from a gun club have smashed a drinking record in the island of Mallorca this week.

The group downed 1,330 2ooml glases of beer in a bar in Playa de Palma, meaning more than 10 pints were sunk per person on the group, or 5.8 litres of beer.

This epic session of drinking took 8 hours with the challenge beginning at around 11am and finishing at 7pm last Saturday.

I don’t know why they do either

But I sure do wish they’d stop.

It’s dangerous out there on the streets with all these aggressive bike bats out fo hell.

Why do Germans cycle?

Is Germany only the land of cars? Yes and no, says Shabnam Surita. Even though Germans make and drive a lot of cars, their relationship with bicycles goes back a couple hundred years. And when it comes to bike-friendliness, Germany ranks quite high among other countries in the world.

Will the escalation never end?

First, German climate activists of the “last generation” kind decided to glue themselves to the roads (and boy have those roads ever been cold these days).

Now they’ve decided to up the ante and begin organizing “disobedient assemblies.”

The next thing you know they’ll be holding hands and breath together until they turn blue in the face! This senseless escalation of violence must finally come to an end, people. I mean it.

German climate activists to stop gluing themselves to roads – Climate group the Last Generation said they will no longer glue themselves to roads as a protest method. They will now use the tactic of organizing “disobedient assemblies.”

PS: German of the day: Wütend (the guy with the sign). That means angry.

Does Germany have a choice?

The Germans are running out. They will soon be in the minority.

In their own country.

Germany weighs allowing foreign citizens into the army – A senior lawmaker has told DW a potential scheme could include people not just from current EU members, but also from candidate countries, and provide a quicker path to German citizenship.

Germans award literary prize to an author who compares Gaza to Nazi-era ghettos

Ain’t no big deal. Nazi talk has never been doing better in Germany.

The name-calling kind. It’s the latest rage, around the globe even. Join the fun. Everybody’s doing it!

Gessen was originally due to receive the Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thought on Friday in the city hall of Bremen, in northwest Germany, but the sponsoring organization, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and the Senate of the city of Bremen withdrew from the ceremony.

“Who?”

“Germany has a president?”

“You, there! You look official. Drive down to the airport when you get a minute and welcome him.”

Germany’s Steinmeier left waiting on tarmac in Qatar – Standing with arms folded at the doors of the airplane was probably not how German President Steinmeier thought he would spend almost 30 minutes of his official 3-hour visit to Doha...

In Germany, Doha’s influence on the Israel-Hamas war is seen as somewhat controversial as Qatar is home to Hamas’ political wing. That led some to wonder if Wednesday’s apparent snub was a response to statements made recently by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock prior to Al Thani’s long-planned visit to Berlin back in October.

“We do not accept support for terror,” Baerbock told public broadcaster ZDF at the time. “To put an end to this terrorism,” she added, “countries like Qatar have a special responsibility.”

Put a positive spin on it, I say. Maybe Germany’s Steinmeier was just being überpunktlich. German diplomat-types can often be that way. If they ever arrive at all. They’re not always so punctual when it comes to leaving, however.

It Can’t Happen Here

So it didn’t. Even though it did. And does. And even is, happening as we speak.

Pay close attention: This report will be diligently ignored by the powers that be.

BKA Report: Sharp Uptick in Violent Crime Committed by Migrants Against Germans – New figures from Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) that detail the demographic makeup of serious violent crime suspects in 2022 have been called “frightening” by the chief of the Federal Police Union, who urged both state and federal authorities to take swift action to put an end to the problem.

The BKA’s 2022 “Federal situation report on crime in the context of immigration” revealed that 47,923 German citizens fell victim to violent crimes carried out by immigrants—defined by the office as foreigners who came to the country as refugees or asylum seekers—last year, up 18% from 2021, BILD reports.

“What many have always suspected is now proven.”

Thousands demonstrate in Berlin against Hamas terror attacks

Thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators in Berlin have expressed their outrage at Hamas’s slaughter of innocent Israelis and their continued rocket attacks on Israel.

Just kidding.

But that is, of course, what should be happening.

In the German capital, thousands of people have taken to the streets in support of Palestinians and to demand a halt to Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The rally took place under strict police supervision.

Consequences?

In Germany? There are never any consequences here.

It’s just like back home in the Banana Republic itself. Nice try, though.

Germany’s Habeck warns antisemitism bears consequences – Germany’s vice-chancellor has underlined the country’s commitment to the security of the state of Israel. He also condemned a rise in antisemitic incidents and warned some offenders could face deportation.

German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck has spoken out emphatically about antisemitism in Germany — and, in particular, an uptick in hate crimes since the Israel-Hamas war began.

In a video posted online, the Green Party politician also warned that there would be consequences for those who exhibit antisemitic hatred.