this is focus on europe, larva lola, welcome. germans are voting and snapped parliamentary elections on february 23rd and the stakes are high. the nation is facing challenges on several fronts, including rising living costs, issues that housing advocate, crystal lip man is addressing germany. sluggish economy is also way on. voters, mines, skill workers are urgently needed, but restricting migration has become a key pledge for many politicians. abdulla l yeah, cop is a syrian living in germany who's learning to be a trained driver, highly skilled profession. he worries about what the rise of the far right will mean for his family. our reporters traveled across germany from munich to rural colon berg speaking to people about their fears and hopes for germany's future. germany 2025 politics in crisis and the g concerns inflation x. the central fee is conflict around the close. most recently the government,

the term engine prematurely, is politics still engaging the people. but it is politically, i'm very, very disappointed. or we want to to understand people's concerns and he, a possible solution. so we set out across germany, placement was organ on concerned way falling behind in training and skilled workers, bringing it off into the workforce to revitalize our economy. the was the policy should be a higher priority, just like i said, i, you know, i find this overall shift to the right and do a very problematic. just go through mot. this is germany drifting a pulse, is the hope the young populace slogans and simple on with a new column and now being elected. we visited people who have taken action 1st stopped munich. there we go. picture arrest, wealthy, expensive in the cities tend to luxury boutiques high end goods. however,

the downside is full so visible, it's simply too expensive for many as well funding property. prices and brands should have been kept a long time ago. no one can afford it any more. the other men, all of those, plus over 2 quarters, the scared of what might come next. it's getting hotter and hotter. music is ready, extremely expensive. we met with a woman who's very familiar with those changes. people living in poverty and unix and coming to the food bank for health, a mattress that come things are looking with a supplies unix food bank, helping those in need with the most essential resources. each day of a 20000 people come to collect food donated to the cities, food banks. how de luca keeps a co found at the age organization to advise these john daughters teams that 2 years ago, poverty and this form wasn't even an issue at all today because we're being

increasingly faced with reality. and to that we have to provide f, a many people assault and existential distress. ty advise the existence, sienna, no, it's it, or the spear in stock. but i can assume the bank is how it's made. this never used to have to have this clear despicable in germany. anyone living alone on less than 1382 years per month is considered at risk of poverty. that's currently a reality for around 16 percent of german is roughly one and 7 to help them feel welcome to people who come here are referred to as guests. kind of know the key to there's many of the regular visitors service. it's nice to see you, mister snyder. hello, how are you? i'm well, easy to schneider 1st came to the food bank 3 years ago. she found herself in a desperate situation following a divorce, and despite her part time job, she relies on the food bank for support to serve commercial. and this helps me

a lot not to lose, especially at the end of the month when it gets really selfish. i didn't want her to of, i'm the other expenses to rent in the guidance, mood, money for kindergarten and the law. i have to pay for all of it myself on being able to come here every such a day is incredibly helpful. i can, she's and so i'm stuck. she'll have calmed off many who come to the food bank, all for middle class backgrounds, forced into poverty by life misfortunes. i'm the key to tells us that despite the growing number of people in need, the volunteers readiness to help hasn't wayne come and am. i mean, there are more and more people coming. you can really see the demand. it's shocking . you see it and grocery store is to live. every thing is getting more expensive. i noticed it myself to my grocery shop. bill is going up since 2020 food prices in germany have risen by over 30 percent. many like use the tests nice to have what, what are the pop time or in low wage sectors?

the wages on to enough to live on the donations here provide much needed relief. the sunroof system to even maybe allows us the morning luxury of arriving across on for my daughter on the, to the got the mendoza's all finished. so if you just have to take the stuff and come to us and from that fast, it was much harder. so many guess the same was a very big scenario. the whole feeling good movement. no one should feel ashamed of the pool. if i, if you can quickly find yourself in a situation where you need help off and on top of your thoughts as, according to surveys, 3 hours, a full germans, 77 percent. see the gap between rich and poor as the biggest problem for germany, social cohesion on the journey. we increasingly all stuff come to mind. the issue isn't playing a central role in the election campaign. we released that many people on low incomes below. i'm seeing in the problems and in the address address. yes,

it's not just the rising food prices, putting people on depression, another problem, the hunt for affordable housing loan lines as a possible viewings desperate families frustration over x to but some rooms the situation. everyone here has some experience of within the circle of friends and family, especially in metropolitan areas like munich rents are rising and housing is becoming increasingly scarce. we met with 2, i'm a no, he has been sharing an apartment with 2 friends, but his current, the looking to gets a place to visit the easier said than done no other. so this is our shared apartment. that's what because this is one of the rooms. it's actually quite nice with the car k flooring. and that's it. here's the kitchen is open, does see, and this is my room. an i t special this to,

i'm alone has a stable income. we would have thought that would give him a decent jobs spinning unless there's an i'm a well paid professional and i'm having trouble find in the apartment. this is because they refuse to pay the greatest price as well. and if i still times, let's say, i don't see why i should finance some landlords portions and profits of friends should reflect real value infinity at a certain price point and they just don't anymore. um, when does this up negative? this need to, i thought this might have by rule of thumb, anyone adding a normal income, who spends more than a 3rd of the salary on the rent risk slipping into publishing one solutions, germany builds more housing, more appointments which smooth the rise and rents the outgoing federal government have such a goal of building $400000.00 new apartment each year. it fell consistently show some thoughts. the most recent figure was only 245000 departments. the main reasons,

high construction and energy costs, but also a lot of bureaucratic regulations. you should know off this one. i do also believe that it's not just politics that should be held accountable, doesn't matter to me. the rental market itself represents a form of predatory capitalism. and in a way reflects a society devoid of solidarity and mentions where people will take the shirt off their fellow citizens backs on wants come. we also selves what most on the donor see in the housing market might look like in munich. we found housing projects that are exploring alternative solutions one of them, especially for single women, just on lip. mon was one of its initiators. it's fine because we found that this project we thought you 2 years ago, is the oldest of its kind in germany. and was originally meant to be paid. housing shortage is evo notes notes. linda, we never expected things to become as dia,

as they are now 3 decades later. the down most often is good off. holly rent has a particular risk of poverty for tonya to women. in the interim crystal, if mama has established several shell departments for senior women, we were allowed to visit the commission on defining this group of women to live with was a godsend for me to quote the closest to shank. others find it. i was in a desperate situation urgently looking for housing after a separation case, mission law. i know, i disclose is just the financial safety net in during an incredibly difficult economic time. spots will take. oh, it's been a major source of support in my life. is this of this because i'm leaving the housing project receive support from the city of munich. m to long does. hi collins and nice women, especially at risk for poverty,

because that pensions often lower. yeah. typically spend few years and paid employment for raising children or caring for elderly relatives. it's trudy home breaking when a woman has worked on entire life only to end up with a tiny pension. and i'm a call and leave me alone all by the time i'm done so, and i plan on going to click studies have shown that the income difference between men and women, vikings with retirement, phenomenal, known as the agenda pension gap. these women have found their own solution. every woman in the housing project has around affordable one room apartment, but it's about more than just one time. veronica wasn't feeling well and needed something from the pharmacy go? no, i said, okay, i'm feeling fine. i'll go get it for you some by speed fits and things like that that make this so wonderful, right? order and order there. when you come by said my voice. good sir. renika always knows where to find good deals. that 2nd hand stores i should. so we're all,

well dressed by some people think we're wealthy, but we're not there, but we just know how to make the most of what we have also been taking action. instead of waiting for politics. we were impressed by how these women have taken control of the nice still that hope is for most electrical commitments. the one for the taking this closing policy in should be a much higher priority. politicians should take a look at people living on a pension of just $1300.00, yours per month, and how little they have left off the expensive so hot how much they have to sacrifice. maybe then we'd see a different kind of call to, to sort of politics. well, just feeling on the hubs due to people when the gap between, for instance, rich and coal groves of hawaii to i'm watson, like outside the big cities. we left munich, i'm headed. ne, just text me here. we'll met by crystal flu amount. he's a real doctor in the community of coming back. fewer than follies,

1000 residents with ever moving away. hardly any pub. those shops are left to reach . the next largest city takes nearly an hour by boston train. might, of course, is all my biggest concern right now is the shortage of the doctors. we already have outside dozens of patients to care for and i just hope i don't burn out examples always. i was little minded as one of the regions, few jump tests. well, many doctors have retired and not found any one to take over from them. he has remained. we accompanied him on his house, calls the new phone, got it, and we're heading to chromebook a district of calvin. they're cutting back the potentates today. we're visiting the wife of the back yard, who struggled to make it into the practice ourselves. lucas, i know here for all the con, what's important because it, when i visit, it improves people's quality of life is to go the. busy of the initial by combine valley. so by the news,

someone cares all who does the lives to create an item and not revisit. that is the month that 3 months or 3 months off to completing his studies. no one took over his father's medical practice though in terms of the patient ratios in europe, germany has an average ranking, but there's a significant dispatcher between urban and rural areas. in this region, adult to like, talked to norma is already treating of a full 1500 patients a here in this sex and capital placed in g p st, significantly fewer patients that issue. so in case i need to see a cardiologist, i have to visit my general practitioner to villages away forever to ro, viable a list that people buy. so then i get an appointment with the special ed. i'm for cost. i want to know when i actually feel on, well, some of the tree quotes of the in night. so maybe even

a full year by then who knows if i'll still be alive, or if i'll even need to visit anymore for golden detachment regular contact with her room to provide a sense of security and room on takes as a time with the cost of you know my knows how important is reliability is to his patients, particularly in remote areas in idle or in old age and the countryside will we have no input output to just add total infrastructure consensus of the mailbox? so under symmetry, neil does nothing else of this. i little escape, we have 350 residents said, and there's no still little hoods the no time this escaped, the no restaurant caught kind ignite. the as with most of the going to it's terrible. this is the ground ensuring long term medical cat

in rural areas is a growing concern for norman, but they are at the threshold of supplying them sufficient services on the for those that are days when you can call it a if there is a wave of infections that people are cubing outside of the practice once on the shortages, there is not, but it can get nothing worse. it's called our, our districts with the supply rates are even worse. the next morning at chris doctrinal months practice for many he's not just the doctor, but also the lost connection to social life. in the village. you might think that most of them can keep going on the one site is a physical problem. on the other logistical one, they live alone. they are socially isolated as we are the last anchor point for some of them. the last person who comes buying that, as you know, the last things to go our 1st, the store and then the doctor to it when the doctor leaves the villages that cost of little money experiences real life 1st hand, the loneliness,

the lack of prospects we wanted what could be done to counteract it? do people feel that politics is offering solutions and holding, looking around, unfortunately, i can see that, okay. now more people are getting older, the router doesn't, it doesn't look like any one is listening. i was on. so politically, as i'm disappointed and not until the very disappointed they tell us that politics is poor, people in the cities, not for those. here in the country side, frustration is high ever move voters outstanding away from a stablished parties in the last space. selections and faxed to me, the follow right. a if the performed particularly well and coming back, the policy claims many problems on refugees and migrant. oh, no journey. we met with people who believe germany and they themselves would be better off with less or no emigration.

skiing also, so nothing against foreigners, the people who are coming now. you know, there's just too many something should be done about the whole thing. the i'm with germany has enough people. there are enough people here that we have to take care of to for the, the 1st one was let's go for the biggest problem at the moment, is the economy and immigration, though i'm a foreigner myself, i've lived here a long time. but there are really a lot of people here who refused to adapt. impulsive authors expressed concern that right wing populists are exploiting the sentiments with widespread on search and see about how to conduct this debate concert. i find this overall shift to the right to me. you're very problematic just to kind of go through my this, this will be the problem as i see it is if we don't discuss it openly, we leave the field on tiny open for right wing punches recently several violent crimes committed by immigrants have shopped, germany since then the election campaign has focused intensity on the topic of migration. balsam have to monitor the turn around and immigration policy. all

there's a warning against fueling prejudices and the is. we've all needed how immigrants themselves might feeling disapproved. atlas me up in the who are region, we met with up to the i cool. he flipped the war in syria and has lived in germany for 10 years. he feels that attitudes towards immigrants in germany, all deteriorating. to say costs are, i'm very scared. well, for example, if in the future my daughter walks down the street wearing a headscarf and with a look up to see him, i am worried someone will insult her or do something awful. yeah. or of as soon as not i still have kind of jeremy do you wishful though it's from the experience i wish for germany that is a democratic country to give him a call to say that is that respects human rights mention and where there is no hatred between people this the we have different religions or skin color, suspicion. mason d, i see there really do you own in or the health father oven. i wish for

a country where people can move freely and without fear, repeat on the ice. after not a yacht, coop isn't a special project, just training to become a trained drive, then they're in demand. germany needs about 10000 each year. many industrial companies are based here in the rural area, and it's here that germany skilled labor shortage becomes especially apparent. germany has had 530000 skilled work has less than it needs. deep mckibbin to trains refugees and migrants to become trained drivers. he believes that without emigration, the problem can barely be solved as much as all the time on certain way falling behind in training skilled workers, bringing it off into the workforce to revitalize our economy. hello, everyone. teach mode. cuba is a train up for a project of the education and craft foundation nelson, and it's going to integrate migraines into the workforce. well,

funding gaps in the labor market today he's leading a senior recalls. the father is still here in the past 8 module. how's that material and keeping up too fast to cycle? hold on with me. it's not as long as i'm having is that for me, sometimes the words are difficult, but i'm guessing by a creek is you'll be okay. training to become a trained driver. takes a yeah, the projects account in 2017 and educates about 300 participants annually. before my name is oliver. today's a big day for up to lot of the group. he's pos to see arrested cal exam and can now begin his practical training. to say welcome to it's pretty cold today, isn't data called or the yeah. the yeah hold today. well, do i have practical exercises focusing on shunting along with, you know, it's a special moment, but this to us at today is my 1st day and i'm really looking forward to it

a my co workers have told me a lot about it and i think it will be a lot of fun on that is 12 is 15, is us. the whole training is a trained drive after long worked as a shift as the father of 3, he's now seeking more job security the. so here we are the soft. it's slowly growing light d tomorrow introduces up to lot to over the over. good morning is hello. say all good as the 2 of you today, i'm heading over a training to you for something. exercises. me as the theory, pretty much down and did well on that the rascal exam on today wants to experience the practical side with you. so please go, we're so long. so i'd say just give them a quick briefing on this new voice and i'm on the phone, i'll be phone them off. okay, the moment. okay, so today we're going to do if something goes wrong, because there are

a few things you'll need to pay attention to. feel like it's a video from me. and i'll give you an assignment of you'll have to move a wagon from track one to try to. it's not less, it's whitestone, it's about how many up and i will tell the train driver what we've just discussed. after this 1st day on the tracks begins. he's what todd for this moves. release the break no time. marvin's right isn't this up, but i've received the confirmation one wagon from track one glass over turn out 41 minutes and then shunting it is to track 2 lights on z and 3 stay right on time. now you should actually call the signal or environment on here on the training track. so you can really none of the walk of the train drive look frame one, correct? no frame one ford years, the train 12 years in a after level complete his training and the full price for him to give a circular motion. the lower links, or when you're sending a bunch of

a train at the middle also expect make signals to be clear. that's minus acknowledged uncle 9. the optimal abdullah is very motivated once to do this and it's also learning a lot of features that commit. that's doing a lesson, especially a practical exercise like you learn a lot more than in the classroom. he's learning a lot and i'm really happy with them and see the middle. so it principally, medium, not on all, but without work. i won't be able to stay here. just the apply button is i would like to work here in germany, in a job where i'm helping people to move in, but we'll start when i arrived in germination. a lot of people helped me by august the coma. and pardon me if you didn't mention the house and so i want to do what i can to help the people here on who helped me the mention hear the mysql hudson how the bite. that's who has the abdullah is hoping for openness towards him and

others and for a safe place than german society. he comp boat to yet, but he will soon be naturalized. we've come to the end of all johnny. people like deep mock hebrew stuff. little man. lift money and have the key to impress stuff they've carried on with others. have held back or turned away the creating change where others really complain. veal and rural areas. we mentally wish that that would listen to us, that they would do what they promise per month, plus placed these rooms and me. i wish for the job in that small job, whether rich and poor can come to get the best the best such as i'm and then minus solve it, like the sun is that's called the t will continue to grow and increase. and we simply want to help and as much as we can go ahead for the visit, we genuinely trying to get people here than feeling that that will confirm that that needed andrea. yes, that they can find it. you have a hold of the wish is clear,

a dignified life for every one. now it's up to politics. it will germany look set for a change of power. the center, right christian democrats under free with merits are ahead in the polls and could on see chancellor. all i've schultz is social democrats and their coalition with the greens both have ruled out working with the far right alternative for germany now pulling 2nd. we hope you enjoy this special edition of focus on europe, be sure to tune it again. next week will be unveiling our new look for the show. bye for now. the of the eco africa lagos, nigeria badly polluted and congested. it's high time the city re saying it's

mobility strategy. so it's about walking, cycling, or that means of transportation, but also sustainable transportation mass customization. making me environments and people's healthier and happier ego. next, on the w saving our so much of germany's farm land is depleted and needs help. young farmer sar, answering the calls and experimenting with new crops, sustainable practices and ecological diversity. into our own d, w. the

likes to come out when you break up gender identity. how does on mental health impact, i love lives. how do we approach money within our relationship? so it is one of the few sources in the 1st and can listen to content about sexuality and sexual matters. i'm liza model that and i'm going to be exploring all listen more in a new season of my math test. available on all platforms are relentless journey. filming 30 years of chaos and hold. the com. go on document, read about the neighboring countries, greed for raw materials, the worms,

all too often silent in the face of tragedy. con empire of silence starts february 15th on dw, the now when there is a problem, they've always almost a solution. and that can sometimes bring unexpected and exciting opportunities with it. now we're really looking forward to sharing some whole field stories with you today. on echo africa, i love will convey here. it looks like a zambia and driving me from lagos. nigeria is my colleague, chris m hello and welcome. do you have us to all show? let's take a.