Commissioner for Eastern Europe: People fear losing what they have achieved

The Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Carsten Schneider, sees many people in eastern Germany as being worried despite relatively good economic development. "East Germany is benefiting from the establishment of major corporate investments, the expansion of renewable energies, additional federal authorities and falling unemployment," said Schneider in an interview with the Lausitzer Rundschau newspaper. Now many are afraid of "losing what they have achieved". Schneider added: "The situation is much better than the mood."

However, he does see reasons for these fears about the future. "The times are uncertain. Corona has also played a role," explained the Commissioner for Eastern Europe. Populist parties such as the AfD and the BSW used these concerns to fuel fears of loss.

Prime Minister Woidke senses fears of loss among the population

Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) also explained that he was aware of these fears in Brandenburg despite a fundamentally positive economic development. "In Brandenburg, up to 40 percent were unemployed or in state employment programs at the beginning of the 1990s, and many moved away," he said in an interview with "Stern" magazine.

Now, Brandenburg is in a comparatively good position with an unemployment rate of around six percent. But what I sense is the fear of losing it all again. These fears of loss have grown in view of the many crises in the world."