Changing Germany: Between hopes and fears

Following the collapse of Germany’s governing coalition in the fall, early parliamentary elections are now due to take place at the end of February. DW reporters Oxana Evdokimova and Carolina Machhaus traveled around Germany, speaking to people who are worried about what the future holds, but who are also tackling and helping to solve problems. According to one survey, the cost of living and the gap between rich and poor are particularly problematic in Germany. Food prices, for example, have risen by around a third since 2020. Munich food bank founder Hannelore Kiethe says that demand has been rising ever since its founding. Affordable housing is another issue that concerns people in Germany, especially in the big cities. Christa Lippmann has founded a housing project for single women, with success. Dietmar Kibbel is concerned that Germany does not have enough skilled workers to get the economy moving again and is involved in a program for applicants to qualify as train drivers within a year — a highly skilled profession and one that is highly in demand across the country. It is an opportunity for Abdullah Alyaqub, who fled his home country of Syria ten years ago and hopes that his new job will give him more financial security.