Olaf Scholz has one wish: “Stay relaxed, that would significantly improve our coexistence,” said the Chancellor on Monday evening in Brandenburg an der Havel.
A retired pastor previously complained about “exclusion” in politics. More and more people are coming to him and reporting that they are worried that they will no longer even be allowed to go out for coffee with AfD supporters. “We can no longer say what we think,” is her feeling. The Lord reminds us of Jesus Christ, who is his example. He just spoke to the marginalized.
Scholz counters. “Many people think so, but it’s simply not true,” says the Chancellor about the alleged speaking bans. “In this country you can say pretty much anything – including insulting the Chancellor and making obscene gestures in front of event rooms.”
Scholz at the “Chancellor Talk” in the Brandenburg Steel Palace
Source: dpa/Soeren Stache
On the contrary, much more contradiction is needed. “Democracy must not be questioned,” said Scholz. Nobody should duck away when right-wing extremists organize against peaceful coexistence. Scholz recalls the Potsdam meeting of AfD officials and right-wing extremists revealed by the online platform “Correctiv”, at which, according to the report, the “remigration” of German citizens was said to have been planned. “This has all happened before in the language of our country with very terrible consequences,” said the Chancellor.
Scholz will be a guest at the 13th stop of his “Chancellor Talks” in Brandenburg on Monday evening. Such a format should take place in every federal state, in which citizens can ask any question that interests them for 90 minutes. Photos of Cindy from Marzahn, the Wildecker Herzbuben, Michael Wendler and the Amigos hang above the buffet in the local “Stahlpalast” on the outskirts of the city. There is apple pie, lemonade and filter coffee. Interested citizens were able to register for the evening in advance at the “Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung”, and the 160 places were then drawn.
The Chancellor’s tour takes place in a great election year – in which the traffic light coalition started with constant strife and poor poll numbers. The European Parliament will be elected in June, and in the fall the Brandenburg State Parliament will be elected alongside the Saxon and Thuringian Parliaments. According to surveys, the AfD could become the strongest party here, with the Chancellor’s party only a few percentage points behind. The red-black-green coalition will still be in power until September.
There are a good 50 people standing in front of the door who would rather change that today than in the fall. They followed the AfD’s call to demonstrate against the Scholz conversation. “Resistance cannot be banned” is written on a flag, “Germany, embarrassing fatherland” is written on a sign. A tractor is parked in the parking lot in front of the hall, and a dozen people have gathered on the curb opposite behind a combination of the German and Russian flags. “Do you want a beer?” one of them asks. Otherwise, most people here don’t want to talk to the press. One pensioner thinks the event with the Chancellor was staged anyway, another says that the Federal Republic is “worse than the GDR”.
Demonstrators near the Chancellor’s meeting
Source: Kevin Culina
Meanwhile, in the hall, Scholz answers questions on all sorts of political topics. He emphasizes that Germany needs immigration of skilled workers in order to maintain prosperity. He recommends that a student start a “health care startup.” There must be more sanctions for “total refusers” who do not want to accept a job – or, as Scholz says, “slog their way through”.
A young Yazidi who has lived in Germany for eight years asks Scholz for a personal interview. He wants to prevent deportations of Yazidis to Iraq. There they experienced genocide by terrorists from the so-called Islamic State (IS); according to the UN, up to 10,000 Yazidis were murdered there and women were enslaved. Scholz explains that IS has been defeated in Iraq today and that German soldiers are also ensuring security there.
Germany is behaving “hypocritically” with its stance in the Gaza war, says an older woman. Scholz should push for a ceasefire in Israel and take more measures against the rampant hunger in Gaza. Scholz then emphasizes: Germany is at the forefront here. He personally conveyed his criticism of the planned Rafah offensive to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Nevertheless, Israel has a right to fight the terrorists because of the “terrible attack by Hamas”. He hopes for a two-state solution as a future perspective for Israelis and Palestinians alike. “People are always people and no one should be demeaned or demonized.”
“Going into debt without borders wouldn’t be a good idea either.”
A student wants to know whether it isn’t absurd that he has to go into debt for his education – also because the student loan is not enough – but the state is sticking to the debt brake. “I think you need something like that so that it doesn’t go on forever,” replies the Chancellor. In the pandemic, the energy crisis or the equipment of the Bundeswehr after the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, it was right to make large investments with debt. But that has to end now, said Scholz. “Going into debt without borders wouldn’t be a good idea either.”
And even if the AfD is rarely mentioned by name, it is always about the right-wing party. “When the wind of change blows, some build walls and others build windmills,” says one man. The election results of recent years have led to “firewalls, never changes.” Berlin, he says, no longer understands what really moves people.
Scholz contradicts. “I am of the opinion that there have to be fire walls,” he says. Diversity of opinion is important; the limit comes when democracy is under attack. The failure of democracy in the Weimar Republic showed how necessary the fight for the Basic Law and for stable conditions is today, said Scholz.
And while the Chancellor is still answering the last question, a citizen is proving how much is possible in this democracy. Scholz should finally resign, the man shouts. “Yes, yes, yes,” Scholz answers almost casually. The man stands up, cursing under his breath. “You’re just talking piss, dude,” he shouts and runs towards the exit.