East Germany - The European Union is committed to the fight against racism and xenophobia.
SPD chairwoman Saskia Esken is calling for more understanding for the critical mood among many people in Eastern Germany. "Injuries from injustices during reunification still run deep," she told the German News Network (RND) a few weeks before the state elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg. "The prevailing mood in the East is: We are being governed from above," Esken emphasized.
She also lamented that fewer businesses in the eastern states are bound by collective bargaining agreements than in the West. Moreover, incomes are too low. This also contributes to the poor mood in the East.
Despite the calls for understanding, the sentiment in Eastern Germany remains largely resentful, with many people feeling governed from above. The 'other' region, the West, has a higher proportion of businesses with collective bargaining agreements, leading to a perceived economic disparity.
