1. As of earlier 2016, there was a refugee crisis among many European nations (especially Germany and Sweden, with taken refugees exceeding 1% of their populations) involving Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war. Hundreds or thousand of refugees a day were landing on Greek shores or walking for months through Turkey to reach Europe for safety. Some countries have taken in few or none due to lack of space or simply not wanting to have to provide for the refugees. Dissent and disapproval was aroused in citizens of many European countries, as fear of terrorism stemming from radical Islamic thinking resulted from recent terrorist attacks in Europe.
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2. During the summer of 2016, Germany was rocked by some particularly bad terrorist attacks which involved shootings, stabbings, and self-detonations on trains, in front of restaurants, and in buildings and a shopping mall. Many of these attacks have been linked to ISIS and radical Islamic terrorism, which increases dissent and bigotry directed toward Muslims and people of Middle Eastern origin not only in Europe, but around the world.
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3. There have been questions concerning homosexual rights in Germany. Almost all western European nations, including Catholic nations such as Ireland, have laws granting rights to married homosexuals, but Germany does not in spite of being the largest and one of the most progressive nations in the region. Germany grants homosexual couples as “registered partnerships,” but does not grant marriage or allow for the tax benefits associated with heterosexual marriage.
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