Euroscepticism Grows In Germany As 63% Say EU Is Excessively Bureaucratic

Authored by Mike Shedlock via MishTalk.com,

Confidence in the European Commission is on the decline in Germany. It is just one of several signs of rising Euroscepticism .

“Dexit” Is the New Brexit

Deutschland Exit, Dexit, is the New Brexit Discussion.

Germany’s far-right AfD party vowed to campaign for an end to coronavirus restrictions, a tougher line on migration and an exit from the EU as it finalised its election manifesto on Sunday.

The AfD had on Saturday voted to include a call for Germany to leave the European Union in its manifesto, as well as vowing to demand an end to coronavirus measures, complaining of a “politics of fear”.

Persistence of Euroscepticism

I saw that article a week ago and initially dismissed it as AfD only has 10-15% support.

Dexit is headed nowhere, for now. 

Yet, Eurointelligence takes Rising Euroscepticism very seriously.

Germans have lost confidence in the European Commission. Only 21% of Germans say that they have a either a lot or some degree of confidence in the Commission, down from 30% in 2019. This is in contrast to 50% who would say the same about the German government. 

8% say that Germany has benefited from the EU’s vaccine purchases, while 46% said no. But what is really striking is creeping euroscepticism. 39% wants repatriation of competences from the EU to member states. Only 12% want more competences for the EU. 63% think the EU is excessively bureaucratic, and 58% believe that Germany has to pay for over-indebted eurozone countries. 

We believe the AfD Dexit campaign is more dangerous than it appears. The AfD’s internal division might overshadow everything. But the party has the potential to attract protest votes from disgruntled CDU voters, especially in the east. And it is the only party willing to fish in the pool of anti-EU sentiment. The Allensbach numbers don’t suggest that Germans are in their majority in favour of leaving the EU. But they do tell us that euroscepticism is large and persistent.

We keep reminding ourselves that this is how Brexit started.

I disagree with the political wishes of Eurointelligence, but they give a very good perspective on what’s really going on. 

Other than politicians and the Green party who is it that really believes in “More Europe”?