During the Corona crisis, parts of the population become radicalized. Experts are now expecting protests because of the gas crisis and inflation.
Berlin – Corona pandemic, Ukraine war and rising prices: The current crises could result in social tensions. The current gas emergency increases this fear among security authorities and politicians.
“If the price increases hit many people hard and we also experience a strong corona wave in autumn, then there is potential for mobilization and radicalization,” said Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) to Der Spiegel . In Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow (left) suspects that AfD, Reichsbürger and more open right-wing extremists are also joining forces to protest against high prices, similar to what was already the case with the Corona protests, as AFP writes.
Is the crisis becoming a danger? The Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of a “German furious winter”
The “substantive” transition from anti-corona protests to “energy crisis and price increases” is already “seamless” in some places, said Bernhard Witthaut, head of the Lower Saxony Office for the Protection of the Constitution, according to AFP. In Brandenburg, the head of the domestic secret service even says that extremists are hoping for a “German winter of rage”.
Between 7 and 15 percent of people in Germany are very dissatisfied with politics overall, according to the Institute for Transformative Sustainability Research (IASS) in Potsdam. The director of the institute, Ortwin Renn, predicts a “torn test” for social peace in autumn and winter .
Corona, energy and climate crisis: mentally difficult for many to process
Inflation and the energy crisis, the corona crisis and the effects of climate change, this diversity of crises would overwhelm many people mentally, which “makes things really critical,” the risk researcher points out.
Politicians would have to design measures in a socially balanced manner and make them transparent. Because the main point in the event of an impending gas stop is the “question of justice”, which is why “people expect that you will not make a name for yourself at the expense of the crisis”, the dpa quotes the sociologist as saying.
Gas surcharge will increase the burden: This is how politicians are reacting
The gas levy will also come into effect in autumn. This allows gas suppliers to pass on the higher prices they pay for non-Russian gas to end users, creating an additional burden for most households in Germany. Every second household is heated with gas energy.
- Gas surcharge in Germany – this is what households are facing:
- Affected: About half of German households are currently heated with gas energy.
- Inflation: The allocation of the increased import costs could lead to an increase in gas prices by 2 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh). The average price is currently 13.77 cents/kWh. For comparison: In 2021 it was still 6.11 cents/kWh.
- Additional costs: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) spoke of 200 to 300 euros that a family of four people could have to pay more per year due to the levy.
- Source: dpa/vergleich.de
In the course of the gas levy, Olaf Scholz announced further relief. His party colleague and SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch spoke out on Saturday (July 30) for further relief in the fall, as reported by the dpa .
“Justice first, concerns second”: Will the traffic light government survive the crisis(s)?
The demands from the ranks of the Greens were even clearer. “If we now make a gas levy, then further relief must come at the same time – so this year, this fall, we have to bring relief on the way,” said the Greens co-chairman Ricarda Lang on Sunday (July 31 ) on ZDF.
In order to ensure social cohesion, the politician spoke out in favor of financing through an excess profit tax. With an offensive criticism in the direction of Christian Lindner (FDP), Lang said: “We are now seeing that companies like Shell have made exploding profits. That’s really a point where I would say, justice first, concerns second. “It remains to be seen whether the traffic light government will ultimately manage to maintain social peace and support the lower income brackets in the crisis the autumn show. (Lucas Maier)
