More than 70% of Germans view their country’s relationship with the United States as positive, a marked increase compared with a year ago, according to a new survey carried out by the Kantar research institute on behalf of the Körber Foundation.
With Joe Biden in the White House, 71% of Germans see relations between the two countries as “good” or “very good,” compared with 18% seeing it that way under his predecessor Donald Trump.
The results of the survey, which were published on Monday, also showed that Germans attach greater importance to Berlin’s relationship with Washington, than other global ties, with 44% of participants regarding the US as Germany’s most important partner, ahead of France on 27%.
“It is gratifying that the Trump years have not led to an irreversible alienation between Germans and Americans. Whether the positive trend will continue, however, remains to be seen. Not least because a number of transatlantic issues remain unresolved,” said Nora Müller, Head of International Politics at the Körber Foundation, a nonprofit organization which focuses on social and political issues.
The feeling appears to be mutual. A parallel study carried out by the Pew Research Center gauging US public opinion on global relations found that 85% of US respondents rating their country’s relationship with Germany as good or very good, up 11% on a year ago.
Doubts about Merkel successor
The survey named “The Berlin Pulse” and conducted in September and October 2021 among more than 2,000 eligible German voters, looked at a range of international issues, including foreign policy prospects under Germany’s next chancellor.
Social Democrat Olaf Scholz is in pole position for that role following Germany’s national election in September, but citizens are uncertain as to whether he can represent their country’s interests on the global stage, particularly in comparison with the person he hopes to succeed — Angela Merkel.
Just 14% of those surveyed believe Scholz can do better than Merkel in this respect, with almost double believing he will be worse than the outgoing chancellor.
When asked about the important objectives Germany’s next chancellor has to deal with in regards to matters relating to Europe, the strengthening of the EU’s foreign and and security policy (65%), followed by adhering to the Paris Climate Agreement (58%), were ranked most highly.
Growing concern over China
Participants were also asked what are the greatest challenges Germany is facing in regards to foreign policy, with the instability in Afghanistan of most concern.
The second biggest challenge comes in the form of combating the dire effects of climate change, according to those who took part in the survey.
For the first time since 2017, China’s growing influence is perceived negatively by a majority of majority of Germans (55%), while 9% see Beijing’s exertions as positive and 34% of participants view the issue neutrally.
Compared to Russia, China is also perceived as a greater threat to German values. While 26% see Beijing as a major threat, only 16% of respondents said the same about Moscow.
Edited by: Rebecca Staudenmaier
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Tragic number
A man in a cemetery in Bonn mourns his dead wife – one of the nearly 100,000 people in Germany who have died of COVID-19. Over the past few weeks, the number of those dying of and with the virus has risen daily. On October 1, it was 66. On November 18, the Robert Koch Institute recorded 201 such deaths.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Final warning
Coffins are lined up in front of a crematorium oven. On one of the lids an undertaker has written “Corona” in chalk – a warning to the people who work there. The elderly and the unvaccinated are still most at risk of dying of the virus, but there are more and more breakthrough infections.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Fears for the elderly…
A care assistant tests the residents of a retirement home on the outskirts of Berlin. In recent weeks, there have been numerous outbreaks of COVID-19 in care homes and old people’s homes in which residents have died. This is one reason why mandatory vaccination for health-care workers is currently being considered. Italy, France and Greece already have it, and Austria will soon follow suit.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
…and for the young
Self-testing in kindergartens and schools is now routine for children. No other population group is tested as regularly and extensively for COVID-19. Yet the incidence among five- to 14-year-olds is up to three times higher than average. This is why many parents are hoping that COVID vaccines will be approved for children. The European Medicines Agency will make a decision at the end of the week.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
ICUs are full
A doctor treats a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit of the university hospital in Leipzig. Hospitalization rates – the number of people admitted to hospital with COVID-19 – have not yet reached the highest levels of last December, but staff are already sounding the alarm and warning that hospitals are overstretched.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Longer stays
A COVID-19 patient with venous access lines and a tracheostomy sits in the intensive care unit of Dresden’s municipal hospital. Using hospitalization rates as an incidence value is controversial: They show the incidence of infection, but only with a delay. Also, many COVID patients are younger than in previous waves. They spend longer in intensive care, meaning beds are not freed up as quickly.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Virus along for the ride
Hamburg station is packed with passengers. Since last week, new rule applies in trains, trams and buses: Only those who have been vaccinated, tested negative, or have recently recovered from infection can use them. Drivers and on-board personnel are supposed to enforce this, but can only really do spot-checks. Mask-wearing is still mandatory; those who don’t comply face fines of up to €150.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
My home is my office
Anyone who doesn’t absolutely have to commute to work should therefore stay at home. The working-from-home requirement only ended in Germany in June. Now it’s back. With infection rates spiraling, reducing contacts has to take precedence. Wherever possible, workplaces have been relocated back to the home – to the kitchen table, or the sofa.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Lebkuchen or lockdown?
Christmas markets are starting to open in German towns, although many, like this one in Freiburg, have strict access rules and limited visitor numbers. However, the state of Bavaria has responded to the extremely high infection rates by clamping down. Municipalities with a seven-day incidence of more than 1,000 must go into lockdown, and their Christmas markets must also remain closed.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Drive-through vaccination
Because the vaccination rate is faltering, the German government intends to focus once again on low-threshold vaccination incentives, like vaccination drive-ins and mobile vaccination teams. It also wants to push ahead as fast as possible with the third, booster vaccination – to “winter-proof” Germany’s population, as Olaf Scholz, the presumed chancellor-elect, has said.
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Germany: Caught by the fourth wave
Open wide…
Given the increasing number of breakthrough infections, and the decline in vaccination protection after six months, it seems that this is sorely needed. The only other thing that will help is systematic testing. For just one month, from October 11 to November 11, people were required to pay for tests, but these are now free again – irrespective of vaccination status.
Author: Thomas Latschan
Germans more optimistic over US relations, China fears growing — survey
Source:
Pinoy Pop News
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