Upgrade | Brandenburg mentally ready for war?

Upgrading is taking place here: An Air Force helicopter at the Holzdorf Air Base Photo: dpa/Sebastian Willnow 65 percent of Brandenburg residents think it's good if Bundeswehr locations in Brandenburg are expanded. 66 percent are in favor of setting up a defense industry. The vote is very clear. “The vast majority of people in Brandenburg know very well that freedom and democracy must be defended,” said State Chancellor Kathrin Schneider (SPD) on Tuesday afternoon, commenting on the results of a survey by the opinion research institute Forsa.

But is that really the case? What motivations did the 1,088 respondents say? As far as the defense industry is concerned, 43 percent of those who support the settlement said it would create jobs. Only 13 percent considered it necessary for the Federal Republic's defense capability. On the other hand, 20 percent of those who are against the establishment of defense companies said that such companies make Brandenburg a target. 14 percent fundamentally reject upgrades. 21 percent of those who are against the expansion of Bundeswehr bases justify this by saying that rearmament increases the risk of war and that there is a lack of money elsewhere.

Overall, just 16 percent of all respondents see a threat from Russia. Even of those who support the expansion of Bundeswehr bases, only 13 percent believe that Russia is a danger. The fact that 81 percent of Brandenburg residents feel less safe than they did five years ago obviously has various and sometimes completely different reasons. 19 percent are worried about the risk of war, but 30 percent see democracy threatened - because of extremism and radicalization (16 percent), immigration (12 percent), crime and violence (10), social division and brutalization (8), terrorism and Islamism (8), economic and social situation (7), only 3 percent because of the Bundeswehr's alleged lack of defense capability.

Young and old, men and women, long-time residents and newcomers still enjoy living in Brandenburg, regardless of whether they live in the Berlin area or not. Depending on age group, gender and origin, 89 to 94 percent of those surveyed said this. 87 percent are satisfied with their own life. In 2022 it was only 70 percent. 81 percent rated their financial situation as good or very good. In 2022, only 50 percent did so.

However, parents are worried about the future of their children (now 65 percent instead of 60 percent two years ago), and Brandenburgers in general fear about their security in old age (46 instead of 43 percent). In contrast, the proportion of those who fear crime and violence in their living environment has fallen from 35 to 31 percent.

16 percent of employed people are very worried about their jobs. That was only 9 percent two years ago. Rent prices and housing shortages affect just 6 percent of Brandenburg residents. 21 percent of the population are worried about the shift to the right and the AfD, 15 percent about the education system, 12 percent about climate change, 8 percent about social injustice and 7 percent about health and care.

The parties interpret the abundance of numbers in their own way. »Four out of five respondents believe it is important for politicians to address the consequences of climate change. The state government must not ignore this mandate," emphasizes Green Party state leader Clemens Rostock in a statement in which he only comments on this.

"The people of Brandenburg are brave in their private lives and the majority are satisfied with their own lives, but they have massively lost trust in the politicians involved."

Bundestag member Christian Görke (Left) comments on the fact that only 18 percent of those surveyed believe that things will be fairer in the next few years. “The causes for this shameful report are home-made, because the people in Brandenburg experience an overwhelmed government every day,” which hardly helps them in the health and care sector as well as in education and care, says Görke. Now is the time for socially fair investments, says the MP, who was Brandenburg's finance minister from 2014 to 2019.

What is particularly worth considering is that almost two thirds of parents are very worried about their children, says AfD state chairman René Springer. “Parents want to be able to tell their children: You have a secure future here.” Brandenburg has all the prerequisites for this. »We have hard-working people, strong families, an efficient middle class and a country in which 92 percent of people enjoy living. What’s missing is a government that can make something of it,” says Springer.

When, in view of the survey results, State Chancellor Schneider speaks of a fortunately stable, positive situation, which she refers to people's self-assessment of their personal life situation, this shows, for BSW state parliamentary group leader Niels-Olaf Lüders (BSW), how far the SPD-CDU state government has moved away from reality. The truth is a resounding slap in the face for politicians because: “For the first time, a majority of 54 percent say that our federal state is developing in the wrong direction. Only an alarming 20 percent of people are of the opinion that the state is still capable of fulfilling its tasks.

Lüders analyzes: »The people of Brandenburg are brave in their private lives and the majority are satisfied with their own lives, but they have massively lost trust in the politicians involved. Trust in the state government is only at a measly 36 percent.

In fact, although 98 percent of people in Brandenburg trust the fire and rescue services and 77 percent trust the police, just 12 percent trust the parties in general and only 58 percent trust the party they voted for. At least 53 percent still trust their mayor, but only 35 percent trust the state parliament, 26 percent the media, 24 percent the Bundestag and 15 percent the federal government.

The moderate values ​​from the state parliament and state government are not entirely surprising. According to the latest survey in June, only 22 percent of Brandenburg residents would vote for Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke's SPD, and just 12 percent for his coalition partner CDU. A total of 25 percent of voters would now tick off parties that are not represented in the state parliament, namely 12 percent the Left, 6 percent the Greens and 7 percent others such as Free Voters, FDP and Animal Welfare Party.

His party is taking the warning signals seriously, assures SPD parliamentary group leader Björn Lüttmann. “Expectations regarding the labor market and the economy have deteriorated and concerns about one's own job are growing,” he recognizes.

The employment agency does see “a slight revival in autumn”. More than 22,000 Berliners and Brandenburgers were able to start work in September, more than 15,500 in Berlin alone. “We last observed this in April 2015,” says regional director Carina Knie-Nürnberg. However, when comparing with the previous year, which is only relevant due to seasonal effects, it is noticeable that the unemployment rate in Berlin rose from 10.3 to 10.4 percent and in Brandenburg remained at 6.3 percent.

The absolute numbers reveal what the percentage does not say for Brandenburg. There are now, albeit minimally, more unemployed people in Brandenburg than a year ago. The number rose by 168 to 85,886.

Well over half of Brandenburg residents do not expect the unemployment rate to remain low, the economy to develop well and wages to rise adequately. Perhaps this explains the hope for jobs in the defense industry.

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