Angela Merkel's socialist government

In Germany - as well as in several other European countries - all leading political parties are in reality social democratic, even those which call themselves conservative. It has for years now been evident that e.g. Angela Merkel is no real conservative - her policies with regard to the euro, the environment, climate change and energy are basically socialist, seasoned with some fashionable "green" ingredients.

Merkel's close party and government colleague, environment minister Peter Altmaier, is another de facto socialist, disguised as a conservative. 

A true conservative would e.g. never express this opinion:

"For now I cannot see that fracking is acceptable anywhere in Europe. This also applies to Germany". 
(Peter Altmaier, interviewed by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung this week)

There are some real conservatives in the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the CSU, but they have mostly been relegated to second rank positions, without much influence. 

On taboos and political correctness in Germany (and Europe in general)

Focus magazine columnist Thomas Wolf has written a brief, but so true article on political correctness in Germany:

There are taboos in Germany. The person who is against the euro and makes it know publicly, will almost always have a hard time. Do-gooders of all colors denounce people with eurocritical opinions in talks shows as anti-European and revanchist.

Also the person who questions human caused climate change is not likely to find apologists. "Such people do not have any sense of responsibility for the future of our children" is the killer argument. And the person who thinks that the victims themselves are to blame for poverty and social problems, is callous and totally lacking solidarity. You are only allowed to reject Christianity. Because the Pope forbids the pill and priests live a celibate life. However, any criticism of Islam is forbidden. It would be xenophobic. 

When differing opinions are not expressed anymore, because their holders are castigated as immoral, every debate runs dry. 

Political correctness and taboos have created a climate without any alternatives in the German Federal Republic, which the philosopher Peter Sloterdijk describes in this way: "Whether you confess to social democracy or not, has for long ceased to mean anything, because there cannot really be any non-social democrats among us, the society is per se social democrat, and the person who is not, is either in a madhouse or abroad ..."

Wolf's and Sloterdijk's descriptions are, of course, not only applicable in Germany. Exactly the same taboos and political correctness prevent any meaningful discussion and debate in many other European countries. 

Mubarak´s and Ben Ali´s parties were members of the Socialist International

This is how the Socialist international defines itself:

PROGRESSIVE POLITICS for a fairer world

The Socialist International is the worldwide organisation of social democratic, socialist and labour parties. It currently brings together close to 170 political parties and organisations from all continents. (List of members in full)

If you click the present list of members, you will not find dictator Mubarak´s National Democratic Party or  Ben Ali´s  Tunisian Constitutional Democratic Assembly among the members. However, until the 31 January Mubarak and his party were highly regarded members of this socialist elite group priding itself on working "for a fairer world". Ben Ali and his party belonged to the Socialist Interntional until 17 January.

That it took popular uprisings to remove the two dictators from the "progressive" club says something about the socialist brotherhood.