Centre-periphery relations in Germany: how Nord Stream 2 led to the stigmatisation of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Abstract

This research concerns itself with the stigmatisation process of the German Bundesland Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It argues that the German behavioural norm guiding accepted foreign policy regarding Russia changed drastically after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. This change in behavioural norm led to the stigmatisation of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which had, up until that point, a very pro-Russia attitude. The stigma which was subsequently attached to the state was that of a community of Russlandversteher. The analysis shows that this pro-Russia attitude can be attributed to the presence of Nord Stream 2 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The project came with investments and job security which the peripheral state needed, which led the political elites of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to pursue a Russia-friendly foreign policy. This cumulated in the set-up by the state’s prime-minister Manuela Schwesig of a Foundation which was meant to safeguard the construction of Nord Stream. 2 This choice led to a lot of criticism back in Spring 2022, when it turned out that Nord Stream AG had a lot more say in the Foundation than it was assumed, and this resulted in a lot of negative press attention for the state. This research analyses these news articles and shows that the media discourse is controlled by elites from the centre, who are responsible for stigmatising Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The periphery, in turn, is not a powerless entity, but engages in stigma-management in the discourse. This results in counter-narratives and denial of the stigma. Ultimately, the stigmatisation and counter-stigmatisation can be seen as a discursive struggle surrounding an abrupt change in the behavioural norm. The stigmatisation of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania contributes to the further peripheralisation of the state.