ROME Larry Ogunjobi Browns Jersey , Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Germany's election results confirmeda weakening trend for mainstream parties across Europe,
accordingto an Italian analyst on Monday.
Yet, the expert suggested the refugee issue -- although muchdebated in the campaign, and a strong point in the German far-rightparty's rhetoric -- was not
the only trigger.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel won her fourth term on Sunday,and her conservative CDU-CSU bloc remained the largest party inparliament, despite
scoring the worst result in decades with 33percent of the vote.
Center-left Social Democrats (SPD) suffered the biggest setbackwith 20.5 percent of the vote, and said they would now go intoopposition.
Far-right party Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD) made ahistoric breakthrough with 12.6 percent of the vote, exceedingexpectations.
"The good performance of German far-right was somehow expected,considering latest surveys, although maybe not to this extent,"Antonio Villafranca, head of
the European Program with Italy'sInstitute for International Political Studies
(ISPI), toldXinhua.
"It is true the refugee issue -- and the European migrationcrisis overall -- played a major role in AfD's campaign, but I amnot convinced it was the only
factor behind the shifting ofvotes."
"A trend towards the weakening of traditional parties hasemerged all across Europe in recent years, showing a malaise forthe current orientation of the
European Union (EU) on the whole,"he explained.
EU's growing attitude towards market liberalization, and theimpact of such approach on average households' income, would havealso played a role in
orienting votes. Germany would provide aperfect example of this phenomenon,
according to Villafranca.
He noted the country has a current-account surplus worth about300 billion euros (356 billion U.S. dollars), or over 8 percent ofthe gross domestic product
(GDP), whereas the same EU rules wouldsuggest the surplus should not exceed 6
percent."That meansGermany's economy is strongly export-oriented, and, to
becompetitive, it needs relatively low labor costs," the expertsaid.
"That is exactly what has happened: the current-account surplushas translated into benefits and savings for companies and thestate, but not for many
Germans."The expert added that wage growthin Germany has been slowing down in
the last two years, increasingslightly above 2 percent only.
"Germans perceive the growth, they recognize it, but many ofthem do not feel part of it," he stressed. "There are stillsignificant pockets of poverty --
especially in some areas, such asBerlin and the former regions of East Germany
-- and that was wherethe AfD gathered the largest consensus."
Will there be consequences for German politics, and for thecountry's stance in Europe?
To a certain extent."I think all of the other German forces inparliament will try to isolate the AfD, since this party sees alsoextremist representatives
among its members. Yet, the AfD willcount on at least 90 deputies, who would
surely make their voiceheard," Villafranca said.
Merkel would also likely find herself under pressure from herown party, for allegedly having pushed the CDU-CSU "too much on theleft" and leaving a
political hole on the right.
For long time, the analyst recalled, Germany's politics has infact clung on the principle that "nothing should exist at the rightside of CDU."
"Now, this has happened and it is traumatic, alsopsychologically," Villafranca stressed.
As for the EU, a more fractured Germany might weaken the chancesof reform. "We have been recently thinking there was a window ofopportunity to relaunch the
EU and the eurozone, as President ofthe European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker
just said earlier thismonth," Villafranca said."Now, this is not so sure, and it
would bewiser to wait and see how Germany's next coalition government
wouldposition itself." Enditem
Ways of Enhancing Brain Power Health Articles | April 24, 2015
You will come across many people who will talk about various brain enhancing techniques, few of them may tell you about certain medications and supplements
to improve memory, especially children and younger adults. As our age
progresses, we normally tend to lose our brain power and memory; that is because
of numerous factors. However, there are various ways to enhance brain power.
A human brain is a complex structure that is connected with various nerves, gray and white matter, soft tissues, arteries, veins, etc. According to medical
experts, normally, our brain-function peaks during childhood or early adulthood
and then gradually declines as the age progresses, leading to brain fog and
lapses in memory.
But in today’s era, that is not the case, because our modern lifestyle has played an important role in declining our cognitive
abilities. Exposures to harmful substances, chemicals, constant stress, poor
diet, sleeping disorders, etc. are responsible for cognitive decline.
Nevertheless, one can support their brain health by encouraging brain to undergo
Neurogenesis process i.e. growing new neurons. Listed are few effective ways of
improving brain power:
?• Healthy Diet
Whatever you eat is useful not only for your stomach but also for your brain and memory. Unhealthy diet
that is rich in sugars, bad fats, etc. by no means is good for your brain. It is
essential to eat a well-balanced diet on daily basis to nourish your brain, such
as fresh fruits and vegetables, curry, celery, broccoli, walnuts, whole grains
and beans. Opt for plant or animal-based foods that are loaded with omega-3
fatty acids. Coconut and olive oil are found useful in enhancing brain
functions.
?• Regular Exercise
Regular physical activities promotes your brain funct. Cheap Jerseys Cheap Hockey Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NBA Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Home Jerseys Wholesale T-shirts China Wholesale Hats China
