Thanks for reporting on this! I have often considered subscribing to WELT, but then along comes the next nonsense (WELT might be doing this on purpose, as a rather clever way of sailing the shitstormy waters), and I refrain.
When Martenstein loses his column in ZEIT Magazine, I will cancel my ZEIT subscription.
A while ago, I was asked about my opinion on AfD and such, and I responded thus:
This is closely related to experiences in Austria, with the only minor two exception being
a) that the ÖVP doesn't consist of such 'disparate' elements as the CDU/CSU; rather, it is the Social Democrats whose 'base' is Vienna and all other states aren't that powerful within their structures; typically, what Vienna wants, the SPÖ will do (even though the Governor/Mayor of Vienna is typically loath to formally lead the party);
b) the FPÖ is much more 'accepted' as a partially systemic (opposition) party that does consist of two quite disparate 'wings', or factions: the (formerly?) German-nationalist wing and (vs.) the (in US parlance) economically libertarian/social conservative wing; the former was in the ascendance after WW2, the latter dominated in the 1970s until Jörg Haider took over the party in 1986, and it's the (on paper no longer German) nationalistic faction, esp. the Burschenschafter elements like Haider and now Kickl (curiously enough, H.C. Strache, the now disgraced former FPÖ chairman, was never in such a Burschenschaft and quite despised by Kickl and his ilk for not being 'one of them').
As regards the Welt, well, I for one am wondering why they do these essays, and how are they getting away with it, not 'merely' because of what you mentioned.
As you might know Meloni coalition won the majority of the last weekend local elections.
She's now thinking to change the Constitution to a Premier direct election to have even more powers.
But I'm sorry to say, our extreme right neo fascist Meloni and her right-center coalition are all but not for Putin at all. And they're not against any trash can or drug dealer. They're winning just because they are destroying more than what "leftist" have already destroyed of our State Institution and laws. They are lowering taxes for the richest, and I mean rich as the enriched medium class by tax evasion and avoidance, a class that has no culture, no skills and lately enriched by huge state helicopter money in the building sector.
They are more pro criminal Democrat Biden Administration than anybody else, with the exception of Mr. Berlusconi that loves Putin and Russian girls... XD
So I wouldn't put them as AFD or your FPO, but at the exact opposite.
Oh, my, the reason I put them there is exactly this one: I wouldn't trust any of these parties, but as Mr Martenstein explains, that's not the point.
In Austria, to cite but one example, the FPÖ typically receives more 'working class' votes than the Social Democrats, and the former's policies are, well, not exactly 'for the people'…
I know, not saying that neither for Martenstein. Just specifying the big difference, as far as I read, from "german" countries right parties. In Italy the so called "working class" doesn't vote in its majority for Meloni but for center left and at the end who are the working class as we knew it 30/50 yrs ago? The ones that has 2 houses 4 cars and shops regularly or the ones that retired with 3/4 times the value of what they really contribute?
Meloni, Lega nd Berlusca gets their votes from middle class and upper but today the former "working class" retired people are the medium class as explained above. They stole the funds and they are overpaid, so they're now part of the Middle Class.
I do see the bigger differences, but as I explained in my above reply to cm27874, things are typically more complicated and/or complex than they seem:
'the FPÖ is much more 'accepted' as a partially systemic (opposition) party that does consist of two quite disparate 'wings', or factions: the (formerly?) German-nationalist wing and (vs.) the (in US parlance) economically libertarian/social conservative wing; the former was in the ascendance after WW2, the latter dominated in the 1970s until Jörg Haider took over the party in 1986, and it's the (on paper no longer German) nationalistic faction, esp. the Burschenschafter elements like Haider and now Kickl (curiously enough, H.C. Strache, the now disgraced former FPÖ chairman, was never in such a Burschenschaft and quite despised by Kickl and his ilk for not being 'one of them')'
Yes, the FPÖ is the long-term partner of the Lega and Berlusconi, but that was well before Ms. Meloni rose to power.
Thanks for reporting on this! I have often considered subscribing to WELT, but then along comes the next nonsense (WELT might be doing this on purpose, as a rather clever way of sailing the shitstormy waters), and I refrain.
When Martenstein loses his column in ZEIT Magazine, I will cancel my ZEIT subscription.
A while ago, I was asked about my opinion on AfD and such, and I responded thus:
https://cm27874.substack.com/p/raising-the-baseline/comments
This is closely related to experiences in Austria, with the only minor two exception being
a) that the ÖVP doesn't consist of such 'disparate' elements as the CDU/CSU; rather, it is the Social Democrats whose 'base' is Vienna and all other states aren't that powerful within their structures; typically, what Vienna wants, the SPÖ will do (even though the Governor/Mayor of Vienna is typically loath to formally lead the party);
b) the FPÖ is much more 'accepted' as a partially systemic (opposition) party that does consist of two quite disparate 'wings', or factions: the (formerly?) German-nationalist wing and (vs.) the (in US parlance) economically libertarian/social conservative wing; the former was in the ascendance after WW2, the latter dominated in the 1970s until Jörg Haider took over the party in 1986, and it's the (on paper no longer German) nationalistic faction, esp. the Burschenschafter elements like Haider and now Kickl (curiously enough, H.C. Strache, the now disgraced former FPÖ chairman, was never in such a Burschenschaft and quite despised by Kickl and his ilk for not being 'one of them').
As regards the Welt, well, I for one am wondering why they do these essays, and how are they getting away with it, not 'merely' because of what you mentioned.
Interesting and nice to read. Txs Prof!
As you might know Meloni coalition won the majority of the last weekend local elections.
She's now thinking to change the Constitution to a Premier direct election to have even more powers.
But I'm sorry to say, our extreme right neo fascist Meloni and her right-center coalition are all but not for Putin at all. And they're not against any trash can or drug dealer. They're winning just because they are destroying more than what "leftist" have already destroyed of our State Institution and laws. They are lowering taxes for the richest, and I mean rich as the enriched medium class by tax evasion and avoidance, a class that has no culture, no skills and lately enriched by huge state helicopter money in the building sector.
They are more pro criminal Democrat Biden Administration than anybody else, with the exception of Mr. Berlusconi that loves Putin and Russian girls... XD
So I wouldn't put them as AFD or your FPO, but at the exact opposite.
Oh, my, the reason I put them there is exactly this one: I wouldn't trust any of these parties, but as Mr Martenstein explains, that's not the point.
In Austria, to cite but one example, the FPÖ typically receives more 'working class' votes than the Social Democrats, and the former's policies are, well, not exactly 'for the people'…
I know, not saying that neither for Martenstein. Just specifying the big difference, as far as I read, from "german" countries right parties. In Italy the so called "working class" doesn't vote in its majority for Meloni but for center left and at the end who are the working class as we knew it 30/50 yrs ago? The ones that has 2 houses 4 cars and shops regularly or the ones that retired with 3/4 times the value of what they really contribute?
Meloni, Lega nd Berlusca gets their votes from middle class and upper but today the former "working class" retired people are the medium class as explained above. They stole the funds and they are overpaid, so they're now part of the Middle Class.
I do see the bigger differences, but as I explained in my above reply to cm27874, things are typically more complicated and/or complex than they seem:
'the FPÖ is much more 'accepted' as a partially systemic (opposition) party that does consist of two quite disparate 'wings', or factions: the (formerly?) German-nationalist wing and (vs.) the (in US parlance) economically libertarian/social conservative wing; the former was in the ascendance after WW2, the latter dominated in the 1970s until Jörg Haider took over the party in 1986, and it's the (on paper no longer German) nationalistic faction, esp. the Burschenschafter elements like Haider and now Kickl (curiously enough, H.C. Strache, the now disgraced former FPÖ chairman, was never in such a Burschenschaft and quite despised by Kickl and his ilk for not being 'one of them')'
Yes, the FPÖ is the long-term partner of the Lega and Berlusconi, but that was well before Ms. Meloni rose to power.