Its the second largest donor of Military Assistance to ukraine. Just this week, chancellor olaf scholz has been in stockholm, meeting with nordic leaders to urge more support for ukraine. But tonight, we want to start by taking a closer look at germanys domestic political climate. Its been shaken in recent weeks by a string of Violent Attacks on german politicians and campaign workers. The countrys criminal Police Office says there have been 22 attacks on politicians so far in 2024, compared with 27 for all of 2023. As for who is responsble fingers have been pointed in all directions. But they come amid growing support for the countrys far right party the afd. Polling from politico suggests its in second spot when it comes to voter intention, moving ahead of the spd the party of 0laf scholz. Sol so i ran through their the lay of the land right now but what is your assessment on what are the key issues for germans in these European Elections . I5 issues for germans in these European Elections . ,. , , elections . Is actually different when it comes elections . Is actually different when it comes to elections . Is actually different when it comes to National Elections . Is actually different l when it comes to National Issues elections . Is actually different when it comes to National Issues and european issues, and recent polling was done here where migration still tops the list of key issues, the economy is also pretty far up there, and there is a general sense that these European Elections will also be about the future of the european and german democracy, thats when you come more into the political bubbles but we are all very much aware and when you speak particularly to german politicians who are in brussels and they know its very much also a referendum on how the government is performing, and in fact dissatisfaction with the government of 0la schultz and his three Way Coalition is hitting an all time low for the German Government here, so the parties were apparently in the lead they know its an uphill struggle and they also know that that could very much play into the hands of the far right, particularly the afd. All off schultz. Right, particularly the afd. All off schultz right, particularly the afd. All off schultz. Theres been growing su ort off schultz. Theres been growing support for off schultz. Theres been growing support for those off schultz. Theres been growing support for those parties off schultz. Theres been growing support for those parties on off schultz. Theres been growing support for those parties on the l support for those parties on the right right across europe, and what does it look like right now . That alternative for germany, the afd party. Really picking up support but it has waned so much in recent weeks, just explain whats going on right there. Weeks, just explain whats going on riaht there. ,. ,. , right there. Yes, it has waned. It was 20, right there. Yes, it has waned. It was 20. 21. Right there. Yes, it has waned. It was 20, 21. 22 right there. Yes, it has waned. It was 20, 21, 22 right right there. Yes, it has waned. It was 20, 21, 22 right around was 20, 21, 22 right around christmas, it went down slightly after there was a revelation after a meeting between co leaders, where there was talk of free migration, which means deportation, people being categorised in first and second class citizens essentially on whether they have a migratory background. And it really cost them in the polls. We are now also seeing feuds of attack and i really want to add that the afd when it comes to violence and attacks against politicians is topping the charts as actually being the victims here. At the same time weve seen arrests made of people attacking politicians more towards the centre and the left, particularly the green politician recently that was seen as part of the far right corner, its a bit of a blur picture, whether you look at the european polling or the national polling, the far right afd party is in second place and importantly it pretty much tops the field in several Eastern States that are going to regional poles and autumn, so thats the next election politicians here are actually quite concerned about. Politicians here are actually quite concerned about. Thats the picture on the right. Concerned about. Thats the picture on the right, talk concerned about. Thats the picture on the right, talk to concerned about. Thats the picture on the right, talk to me concerned about. Thats the picture on the right, talk to me about on the right, talk to me about whats happening on the left right now. Again, they are not gathering the same sort of support that the afd has butjust explain the situation on the left. The left a situation on the left. The left party has situation on the left. The left party has essentially situation on the left. The left i party has essentially collapsed situation on the left. The left party has essentially collapsed in germany, and they one leading figure who founded her own party, which looks pretty much set that it could go above the 5 threshold when it comes to Regional Elections here, and that is eating into the far right afd party, which it sounds like your contradiction in terms, how can i left party, left leaning grouping eat into the far right because mark while she is very charismatic politician who, while wanting a very Strong Social emphasis, a leftist emphasis on how the state is conducted, at the same time she takes a very tough line on migration, so you find actually people from both camps, both, different ends of the political spectrum here at finding her an attractive alternative to the far right, alternative for germany party. This is part of the further fragmentation of the german political spectrum, that requires coalitions that sounds very much the way brussels and europe operates but thatis way brussels and europe operates but that is making governing more tricky here in germany and that something that will be very closely watched in these European Elections coming up. Michaela, stay with us, i want at this stage to bring in our berlin correspondentjess parker. Good to have you with us, we were just discussing their some of the key issues that will be important in this European Election and she was highlighting that obviously here this is a European Election, quite separate to what is happening domestically. What is your assessment where you are about the keyissues assessment where you are about the key issues that voters care about in germany right now . I key issues that voters care about in germany right now . Germany right now . I mean i think ou have germany right now . I mean i think you have got germany right now . I mean i think you have got domestic germany right now . I mean i think you have got Domestic Politics germany right now . I mean i think you have got Domestic Politics for| you have got Domestic Politics for sure, but it then blends into eu politics as well, taking that topic you were just discussing of migration. Immigration has been particularly towards the end of last year, but continues to be, a very hot topic here in germany and sometimes far right parties, Conservative Parties criticise the government for not doing as they say it enough, and you see things like rolling checks on the german border. Within supposedly the borderless zone within the eu, but something to politicians like 0laf schultz and others are trying to tackle migration in a number of ways including atan migration in a number of ways including at an eu level. The recently agreed and immigration packed in brussels that looks at speeding up Asylum Procedures for example, and sometimes these things get all blended together so theres frustration aimed notjust that get all blended together so theres frustration aimed not just that the National Government but at the eu as well. And another topic that i would pick up as well is anger at whats perceived as environmental rules and regulations being handed down from brussels, or sometimes they also come from the National Government as well. You might remember a pillar in the year, notjust in germany but certainly including in germany, there were those farmers protests, i saw tractors blockading roads, they were lined up as far as the eye could see, facing the Brandenburg Gate and what a lot of farmers were talking about, they were sparked in protest by a particular route over diesel fuel subsidies. When you speak to people in the Agriculture Industry they felt they were hammered by rules and regulations over a long time and this was the straw that broke the camels back. So that kind of wider idea that weve seenin that kind of wider idea that weve seen in other European Countries as well of a kind of green lash, a rebellion against green policies has certainly been pertinent here in germany as well. Certainly been pertinent here in german as well. � g ,. , germany as well. And, jess, i wonder about germans germany as well. And, jess, i wonder about germans getting germany as well. And, jess, i wonder about germans getting used germany as well. And, jess, i wonder about germans getting used to germany as well. And, jess, i wonder about germans getting used to this. About germans getting used to this idea not necessarily of being the Powerhouse Economy it has been for so many years before. Things are looking a little bit different as far as its Economic Performance is concerned. Still a huge powerhouse, but readjusting to life quite differently. And i wonder where money comes into this as well. We say that elections are won or lost on how the economy is performing, but are people feeling worse off in germany, to . But are people feeling worse off in germany. To . Germany, to . Thats a really interesting germany, to . Thats a really interesting one. Germany, to . Thats a really interesting one. Economic. Germany, to . Thats a really interesting one. Economic forecasts for germany are certainly looking sluggish. Theyve been looking sluggish. Theyve been looking sluggish as well for some other economies as well. When you talk to people, often a conversation ive had about this very issue is, are you struggling . And sometimes people say im not personally struggling, but i know people who are struggling, and of course we did see huge inflation over a long time, theres a big concern about the cost of living into some degree that does persist, but i think certainly theres a sense that people feel frustrated, that German Economy has not kind of future proved itself enough. Quite a lot of the blame is what laid rightly or wrongly on the former chancellor angela merkel, for not doing enough, shes accused of. Over the course of her long tenure, to really digitise the German Economy, there is a bit of an old cliche about germans is still using fax machines much more than many other countries, but certainly if you speak to people in germany there is no real optimism about the German Economy and for example, cars is a classic example of this. As people are perceive china to be racing ahead an electric car manufacturing, germany is accused of lagging behind on that. And of course, traditionally, a huge car maker and she still a huge car maker so not a lot of optimism about the German Economy. It is still the Powerhouse Economy. It is still the Powerhouse Economy as far as the eu is concerned, what happens here, how well the economy does has huge reverberations across europe. But certainly, any sense that its roaring ahead and doing really well, that doesnt exist at the moment. Stay with us, i want to bring in our third guest for this half hour, thats sophie. We were just discussing their some of the key issues, perhaps how germans can separate feelings for their domestic National Government versus whats happening on a europe wide level. Is this reallyjust a referendum on the performance of the current German Government . I performance of the current German Government . Performance of the current German Government . I wouldnt go as far as to sa It Government . I wouldnt go as far as to say it is government . I wouldnt go as far as to say it is an government . I wouldnt go as far as to say it is an assessment government . I wouldnt go as far as to say it is an assessment of what i to say it is an assessment of what the government is currently doing, but it the government is currently doing, but it is the government is currently doing, but it is true the government is currently doing, but it is true that especially Decision Makers are not making a difference Decision Makers are not making a difference so there is very little talk about policy especially eu policy talk about policy especially eu policy at talk about policy especially eu policy at the moment. Theres a lot of talk policy at the moment. Theres a lot of talk about National Politics even there of talk about National Politics even there isnt a lot of talk about nationai there isnt a lot of talk about National Politics. It has been mentioned, there has been a backlash. Mentioned, there has been a backlash, thats for sure, but otherwise backlash, thats for sure, but otherwise its very much concerning political otherwise its very much concerning Political Violence against candidates, also the far right is quite candidates, also the far right is quite a candidates, also the far right is quite a topic in the medium at the moment quite a topic in the medium at the moment quite a topic in the medium at the moment media at the moment, they are not moment media at the moment, they are not really moment media at the moment, they are not really differentiating between the eu is doing and what the nationai between the eu is doing and what the National Level is doing, that is really National Level is doing, that is really problematic but eu elections are always second order elections and you are always second order elections and you have a bunch of other elections and you have a bunch of other elections going up in germany at Regional Elections going up in germany at regional level and municipal level which regional level and municipal level which are regional level and municipal level which are much more important for the germans. Even though the eu has a lot to the germans. Even though the eu has a lot to say the germans. Even though the eu has a lot to soy in the germans. Even though the eu has a lot to say in certain areas, they are just a lot to say in certain areas, they are just not a lot to say in certain areas, they are just not really aware of it, Unfortunately. Unfortunately. And, sophie, i mentioned Unfortunately. And, sophie, i mentioned in Unfortunately. And, sophie, i mentioned in the Unfortunately. And, sophie, ij mentioned in the introduction Unfortunately. And, sophie, i mentioned in the introduction the number of attacks on german politicians or campaigners in the run up to these elections. So far the police are saying 22 attacks on politicians so far this year, that compares to 27 for the whole last year. We know that these sorts of tensions rise before elections of all sorts. I suppose the biggest worry in all of this is that that sort of hostile climate scares off candidates, scares off motors and it makes the whole process of democracy much more difficult to enforce, doesnt it . Doesnt it . Yes, it did rule a mind mail a little doesnt it . Yes, it did rule a mind mail a little bit doesnt it . Yes, it did rule a mind mail a little bit of doesnt it . Yes, it did rule a mind mail a little bit of the doesnt it . Yes, it did rule a mind mail a little bit of the uk, mail a little bit of the uk, political mail a little bit of the uk, Political Violence to a level weve never Political Violence to a level weve never seen Political Violence to a level weve never seen before and that is very very concerning and worrying when democratic very concerning and worrying when Democratic Candidates cannot be assured Democratic Candidates cannot be assured to have physical security when assured to have physical security when campaigning, and even beyond that. When campaigning, and even beyond that so when campaigning, and even beyond that so i when campaigning, and even beyond that. So i think its a really a sign that. So i think its a really a sign that that. So i think its a really a sign that we have a crisis of democracy and notjust sign that we have a crisis of democracy and not just about the eu elections. Democracy and not just about the eu elections, just in general. It has become el