Fading Trust in Leaders Fuels Europe's Populist Surge

 

"BERLIN -- Antiestablishment populism is on the rise in Europe, fueled not just by migration and economic and security fears, but also by a deeper trend: eroding confidence in governments' ability to overcome those challenges.

In Germany on Sunday, the far-right AfD and a new far-left populist party obtained almost half the votes cast in the eastern state of Thuringia, and together also took more than 40% in neighboring Saxony.

In Thuringia, the AfD finished first, the first time a far-right movement has won a state election in postwar Germany.

In France, a legislative election that returned a hung parliament and gave the far-right National Rally almost a quarter of all seats -- up sharply from the prior election -- has yet to yield a government two months later.

A litany of crises, from immigration to inflation and the conflict in Ukraine, has helped populists notch electoral wins from Italy to the Netherlands and from Sweden to Finland in recent years. For some pollsters and analysts, however, crises are nothing new. What is new is voters' crumbling confidence that elected governments can solve them.

"Crises are normally good for governments," said Manfred Gullner, head of the Forsa polling group. "Voters rally around the flag. It happened after 9/11, after the financial crisis, even under Covid initially. Not today. Crises are piling up and support for the governments is at the bottom."

In a Forsa survey of German voters published last week, 54% of respondents said they didn't trust any party to solve the country's problems. Only 16% said they trusted the government.

Another survey of voters in France, Germany, Italy and Poland published by Sciences Po, a Paris-based university, this year showed 60% of respondents had no trust in political institutions. The same proportion said democracy wasn't working.

For Gullner, the rise of populist and upstart parties is the tip of an iceberg of disaffection, the submerged part is abstention. In Saxony and Thuringia, the share of non-voters has risen by 26% and 56%, respectively, since the first post-reunification election of 1990, he said.

Political indecision can be self-perpetuating. As voters lose trust in governments, they turn to populists and punish establishment parties, resulting in increasingly fractured parliaments. This, in turn, generates unwieldy and often indecisive coalitions that struggle to govern.

Herfried Munkler, one of Germany's leading political scientists, thinks the lack of trust in government is partly the product of strident populist rhetoric, whose alarmism creates a sense of urgency of which no government can ever get ahead.

"It could be that we are reaching the limits of political compromise," Munkler said. "That's not a good sign because this could push a majority of voters to call for a strong man or a strong woman. One who wouldn't compromise but just decide."" [1]

The US is the same. The catastrophic decisions of Western leaders have led to a crisis of confidence, paralyzing any possibility of course correction.

1. World News: Fading Trust in Leaders Fuels Europe's Populist Surge. Bertrand, Benoit.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 03 Sep 2024: A.9.

Galbūt, per daug norite iš jūsų „Airbnb“ --- Kylant kainoms, išaugo ir svečių reikalavimai trumpalaikei nuomai

„Ko keliautojai nori iš Airbnb šiuo metu? Jų šeimininkai turi atsakymą: per daug.

 

 Pasak rinkos tyrimų bendrovės AirDNA, trumpalaikės nuomos skaičius tokiose svetainėse, kaip „Airbnb“ ir „Vrbo“ liepą pasiekė rekordinį aukštį. Dabar šeimininkai turi didesnę konkurenciją dėl užsakymų, o svečiai turi daugiau galimybių. Ir nuomonių.

 

 Trish Tonn namuose Mineapolyje yra keturi televizoriai, daugybė žaislų – nors ji neturi vaikų – ir „daugiau žaidimų, nei bet kokiems žmogaus poreikiams“. „Airbnb“ svečiai kartą skundėsi, kad namas, kurį ji siūlo, kai išvyksta į darbą, buvo prastai aprūpintas.

 

 Lankytojai pamiršta, kad „Airbnbs“ dažnai yra žmonių namai, o ne „mini viešbučiai“, sako Tonn.

 

 Išrankumas iš dalies kyla dėl kainų. „AirDNA“ duomenimis, JAV trumpalaikės nuomos kainos, palyginti su 2019 m., išaugo beveik 20 proc.

 

 Biudžeto trumpalaikės nuomos kaina nuo sausio iki liepos vidutiniškai siekė 201 dolerių už naktį, o tai 13% daugiau, nei praėjusiais metais, rodo JAV trumpalaikės nuomos AirDNA analizė. Prabangios apgyvendinimo įstaigos taikė vidutiniškai 558 dolerių už naktį, ty 6% mažiau, nei 2023 m.

 

 „Airbnb“ teigia, kad jos vidutinė dienos norma visose JAV nuosavybėse per pastaruosius metus išliko pastovi.

 

 Keliautojai sako, kad trumpalaikė nuoma gali suteikti daugiau patogumų, nei panašios kainos viešbučio kambarys. Keliaujantiems su šeimomis ar grupe jie dažnai yra ekonomiškesni, nei keli viešbučio kambariai.

 

 Daugelio Airbnb šeimininkų teigimu, ekonominės klasės keliautojai dažnai turi didžiausių lūkesčių. Pasenę interjerai ir kilimas nuo sienos iki sienos jo nebepatenkina, o šeimininkai, norėdami išsiskirti, prideda kubilus, baseinuss ar net boulingą.

 

 Šeimininkai negali ignoruoti svečių skundų, net jei jie to norėtų. „Airbnb“ naikina sąrašus, kurių apžvalgos neatitinka kokybės standartų, sako bendrovės vyriausiasis verslo pareigūnas Dave'as Stephensonas.

 

 Nuo praėjusių metų balandžio „Airbnb“ iš savo duomenų bazės, kurioje buvo daugiau, nei aštuoni milijonai, apsistojimų, pašalino daugiau, nei 200 000, įrašų.

 

 Remiantis „AirDNA“, svečiai prabangų būstą įvertino vidutiniškai 4,87, o švaros balas 2024 m. – 4,89. Nebrangūs objektai buvo įvertinti 4,80, o švaros balas - 4,82. Kadangi dauguma sąrašuose yra nuo 4,7 iki 5 žvaigždučių, šie skaičiai po kablelio daro įtaką jų verslui, sako šeimininkai.

 

 Davidas Hopkinsas pradėjo prieglobą „Airbnb“ maždaug prieš 11 metų, pirmiausia rezervuodamas turistams Čikagoje. Laikui bėgant, dėl miesto apribojimų, jis pradėjo nuomoti dizainerių trumpalaikę nuomą, o ne galimybę gyventi ant sofos.

 

 Dabar jis moka papildomai už valymą, kad atitiktų standartą, kurio žmonės tikėtųsi tinklo viešbutyje.

 

 „Turiu kam nors sumokėti, kad patikrintų, ar kiekviename šaukšte nėra kukurūzų dribsnių, ir eitų į medžioklę, ar nėra paklydusių plaukų“, – sako jis.

 

 Laikui bėgant, jis padidino tarifus ir jaučiasi blogai, kad negali pasiūlyti pigesnių nakvynių, todėl dabar taikosi į, labiau mokančius, klientus.

 

 „Norėčiau, kad svečias galėtų atrodyti taip: „Pažadu nesiskųsti X, Y ar Z, jei ketinate man suteikti kambarį už 45 dolerių už naktį“, – sako jis. Pagal esamą penkių žvaigždučių peržiūros sistemą Hopkinsas sako, kad viena bloga apžvalga nustumtų visą jo verslą.

 

 Cole'as FauntLeRoy'us, šeimininkas Sietle, 2023 m. vasario mėn. pradėjo nuomoti dalį savo dviejų aukštų.

 

 Jis sako, kad pradžioje jis laikė žemas kainas, kad gautų gerų atsiliepimų.

 

 Trys svečiai apsistojo dviaukštėje ir skundėsi, kad turi tik šešis dubenis. Jam pakėlus kainas, skundų sumažėjo.

 

 „Beveik panašu, kad sulaukiate kitokios grupės žmonių, kurie neperka pigiai ir iš tikrųjų tik ieško geriausios kokybės“, – sako jis.

 

 Pradėdamas nesezoną, jis imdavo 99 dolerių už naktį. Dabar jis ima iki 250 dolerių savaitgaliais ir 200 dolerių ne švenčių dienomis.

 

 Keliautojai sako, kad jie tiesiog nori geros kainos už jų pinigus, ypač atsižvelgiant į tai, kad šeimininkai gali pateikti prašymus dėl valymo, kad užbaigtų viešnagę.

 

 "Jei aš moku 50 dolerių už naktį, ar tikrai tikiuosi, kad tai bus Tadžmahalas? Ne, - sako Josephas Sanchezas, 28 metų buhalteris iš South Bend, Ind. "Jei moku daugiau, nei būčiau viešbutyje, tikiuosi, kad kokybė bus kaip viešbutyje."

 

 Per kiekvieną Padėkos dieną Rebecca Carroll keliauja į St. Augustine, Fla. Namo nuomos kaina išaugo nuo tada, kai jie pradėjo lankytis 2019 m., tačiau išlieka pigiau, nei keli viešbučio kambariai.

 

 Užsakydama būstą, universiteto skyriaus vedėja iš Winter Park, Fla., atidžiai skaito atsiliepimus, ieško tokių žodžių, kaip „bet“ arba „deja“, ir siekia rezervuoti nekilnojamąjį turtą, nurodytą, kaip neseniai atnaujintą.

 

 Daugelis jų yra šiek tiek pasenę, su medinėmis dailylentėmis, senesniais vonios kambariais su devintojo dešimtmečio dekoru ir daugybe kilimų. Jie vis dar kainuoja daugiau, nei prieš penkerius metus.

 

 „Mano lūkesčiai pasikeitė dėl kainos“, – sako ji. „Man viskas gerai su pasenusiu turtu, bet sunku, kai jis kainuoja 200 dolerių daugiau už naktį“.

 

 Kai kurie „Airbnb“ šeimininkai taip pat teigia, kad su svečiais susisiekiama mažiau simpatiškai, nei anksčiau. Svečiai dabar mažiau bendrauja su šeimininkais ir skundžiasi, matydami šeimininkų asmeninius daiktus nuomojamame bute, sako šeimininkai.

 

 Chadas Henselis nuomoja penkis būstus Grinvilyje, S.C. Lankytojai mažina valymo mokesčius, bet tikisi nepriekaištingo būsto ir puikios vertės, sako jis.

 

 Prieš šešerius metus šeimininkai galėjo išsiversti su vienu 55 colių televizoriumi svetainėje, sako Henselis, anksčiau dirbęs trumpalaikės nuomos turto valdyme.

 

 Dabar kiekviename miegamajame reikia televizoriaus, svetainės ekranas turi būti bent 70 colių, o namuose turi būti „Bluetooth“ garsiakalbiai, kad patiktų, daug išleidžiantiems, svečiams, sako jis. Dabar jo nuosavybė yra retro arkadiniai žaidimai, oro ritulio stalai ir sūkurinės vonios.

 

 „Nebeužtenka nuvykti į tikslą“, - sako Henselis. „Kur guldai galvą naktį, tai taip pat turi būti verta Instagramo.“' [1]

 

1. Maybe You Want Too Much From Your Airbnb --- As prices have climbed, so have demands from guests at short-term rentals. Pohle, Allison.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 03 Sep 2024: A.1.

Maybe You Want Too Much From Your Airbnb --- As prices have climbed, so have demands from guests at short-term rentals

"What do travelers want from an Airbnb right now? Their hosts have an answer: too much.

The number of short-term rentals on sites such as Airbnb and Vrbo hit a record high in July, according to AirDNA, a market-research firm. Hosts now have more competition for bookings, while guests have more options. And opinions.

Trish Tonn's Minneapolis home has four TVs, plenty of toys -- though she has no children -- and "more games than any human needs." Airbnb guests once complained that the house, which she lists when she's away for work, was poorly stocked.

Visitors forget that Airbnbs are often people's homes and not "mini-hotels," Tonn says.

Pickiness comes partly because prices are up. Across the board, U.S. short-term rental prices increased nearly 20% compared with 2019, according to AirDNA.

Budget short-term rentals charged an average rate of $201 a night from January through July, a 13% increase from last year, an AirDNA analysis of U.S. short-term rentals shows. Luxury properties charged an average rate of $558 a night, a 6% decrease from 2023.

Airbnb says its average daily rate across all U.S. properties has remained steady over the past year.

Travelers say short-term rentals can provide more amenities than a similarly priced hotel room. They are often more cost-effective than multiple hotel rooms for those traveling with their families or a group.

According to numerous Airbnb hosts, budget travelers often have the highest expectations. Outdated interiors and wall-to-wall carpet don't cut it anymore, and hosts are adding hot tubs, pools, pickleball courts or even lawn bowling to stand out.

Hosts can't ignore guest complaints, even if they'd like to. Airbnb culls listings whose reviews don't meet quality standards, says Dave Stephenson, the company's chief business officer.

Since April of last year, Airbnb has removed over 200,000 listings from its database of more than eight million stays.

Guests rated luxury properties an average of 4.87, with a cleanliness score of 4.89 in 2024, according to AirDNA. Budget properties received overall ratings of 4.80, with a cleanliness score of 4.82. Because most listings rank between 4.7 and 5 stars, these decimal places make a difference to their business, hosts say.

David Hopkins began hosting on Airbnb about 11 years ago, booking primarily to backpackers in Chicago. Over time, because of city restrictions, he began leasing out designer short-term rentals instead of couch-surfing stays. 

He now pays extra for cleaning to meet the standard that people would expect at a chain hotel.

"I have to pay somebody to check every spoon for someone's cornflake and go on the hunt for any errant hair," he says.

He has raised rates over time and feels bad that he can't provide cheaper stays and now targets higher-paying customers.

"I wish there was an option for a guest to be like, 'I promise to not complain about X, Y or Z if you're going to provide me a room at $45 a night,' " he says. Under the existing five-star review system, Hopkins says one bad review would drag his entire business down.

Cole FauntLeRoy, a host in Seattle, started renting out part of his duplex in February 2023.

He kept prices low at the beginning to build up good reviews, he says. 

Three guests stayed in the duplex and complained that he had only six bowls. Complaints have decreased since he raised prices.

"It's almost like you get a different group of people that aren't bargain shopping and are actually just looking for the best quality," he says.

He charged $99 a night in the offseason when he started. Now he charges up to $250 on weekends and $200 on nonholiday weekdays.

Travelers say they just want value for their money, especially given the requests around cleaning that hosts can make of them for wrapping up a stay.

"If I'm paying 50 bucks a night, do I really expect it to be the Taj Mahal? No," says Joseph Sanchez, a 28-year-old accountant from South Bend, Ind. "If I'm paying more than I would be at a hotel, I would expect the quality to be like a hotel."

Rebecca Carroll travels to St. Augustine, Fla., every Thanksgiving for a family vacation. The cost of renting a house has surged since they started visiting in 2019 but remains cheaper than multiple hotel rooms.

When booking a property, the university department chair from Winter Park, Fla., reads reviews closely, looking for words such as "but" or "unfortunately," and aims to book properties listed as recently renovated.

Many are slightly outdated, with wood paneling, older bathrooms with 1980s-era decor and lots of carpet. They still cost more than they did five years ago.

"My expectations changed because of price," she says. "I'm OK with the outdated property, but it's tough when it costs $200 more per night."

Some Airbnb hosts also say the dynamic with guests is less personable than it once was. Guests now prefer to interact with hosts less and complain about seeing their personal belongings in a rental, hosts say.

Chad Hensel rents five properties in Greenville, S.C. Visitors push back on cleaning fees while expecting spotless properties and a great value, he says.

Six years ago, hosts could get away with having one 55-inch TV in the living room, says Hensel, who previously worked in short-term rental property management.

Now, every bedroom needs a TV, the living room display should be at least 70 inches and the house should have Bluetooth speakers to appeal to high-spending guests, he says. His properties now include retro arcade games, air-hockey tables and hot tubs.

"It's no longer enough to go to a destination," Hensel says. "Wherever you're laying your head at night, that has to be Instagram-worthy as well."" [1]

1. Maybe You Want Too Much From Your Airbnb --- As prices have climbed, so have demands from guests at short-term rentals. Pohle, Allison.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 03 Sep 2024: A.1.