#359: The BVG is striking again
The Wahl-o-Mat is fun for non-voters too
Hey 20 Percent,
If nothing else, I’ve always loved the name — the Wahl-O-Mat, or Election-o-meter, or some other fake word that indicates a large, mechanical contraption that helps you complete some herculean task (and probably with that goofy Looney Tunes music in the background).
Since 2002, the the Wahl-O-Mat website has helped probably most of Germany decide who to vote for. The one for this month’s federal election was released Thursday and asks how you feel about 38 different issues. It then shows you which parties most align with your ideals.
“Germany should continue its military support of Ukraine,” it says. “Yes”, “neutral” or “no”, you could answer.
It’s unfortunately only in German but I always love it as a guide to what’s important at the moment. For example, I had no idea a party wanted to allow you to retire if you’ve been paying into the public pension scheme for 40 years, regardless of your age.
Most of the other questions have to do with the environment and immigration. Of course.
I can’t vote yet (more on my citizenship quest next week) but if I could, the Wahl-o-mat suggests I pick the center-left SPD, which seems fair. It usually advises me to vote for something much farther left.
Check it out, if only to improve your German!
Andrew
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THE BVG IS STRIKING AGAIN
I can’t vote at BVG either but if I could I’d probably just vote to give employees the raise they want — but since company brass won’t, subway pilots, bus drivers and tram captains will go on a 24-hour strike Monday. Yellow public transport vehicles will stand still from 3am until 3am Tuesday. BVG is offering employees a 15.3 percent pay increase over the next four years but union Ver.di said that’s too low — it wants bonuses for shift work as well as an extra month’s holiday pay, known as the 13th month’s pay in Germany. The S-Bahn will still be running, as will probably your bike. Oh, and if you chose to have an operation at a Vivantes or Charité hospital on the Feb. 13 or 14, you’re out of luck — non-medical employees there are striking those days and elective surgeries likely postponed, according to to RBB24. State trash company BSR is the next most likely to strike — will anyone notice?
Budget cuts hitting higher education too
Speaking of choices — students at Berlin’s universities may soon have fewer as the schools will have to go without an estimated €100 million thanks to the €3 billion deficit in Berlin’s budget. Both Humboldt University and the artsy Universität der Künste (UdK) have already halted hiring of new professors, according to taz. The schools pre-emptively had to slash their budgets 8.8% in anticipation of the cuts, which will become final once Berlin and the schools negotiate a new subsidy contract — the schools are covering the shortfall with savings. Humboldt said the cuts would result in a reduction in the number of spots for students in less-popular subjects while the UdK said the hiring freeze would likely have “devastating” effects on enrollment and research.
It’s almost that time of year again
Oh, finally an election that matters — Tagesspiegel has a good piece today on the 7 Berlin music acts that are among the 24 vying to represent Germany at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. At least one is a member of the 20 Percent — Brit Berliner Moss Kena. Click through to the article and, though you may not be able to read the German, you can enjoy YouTubes of the musicians who may (or may not) represent Germany at the ESC. The prelims are on Valentine’s Day followed by a final on March 1. The ESC is May 17.
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🚗 De facto chancellor hates the de facto president
🚗 And Tesla sales are down because Germans agree
👨🦲 Actual chancellor gets bump over immigration row
Factoid
Fewer Berliners are eligible to vote in February’s federal election than in the 2017 election even though the Hauptstadt continues to grow thanks to us non-German Berliners. Just 2,417,565 Berliners have a German passport and are eligible to vote, a 3.4% decline over the 2017 election. But Berlin hasn’t shrunk — the population of non-German Berliners continues to increase — 25% of the city’s residents are now non-German, up from 20 percent when we started this newsletter in 2021. Time for a name change?