A long line has formed in Spreebogenpark. “What’s going on here?” asks a woman. “There must be a well-known politician here,” answers a man. And indeed, somewhere in the midst of his bodyguards stands Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He greets everyone with a friendly “Hello,” plasters a smile on his face and stands ready for photos until there are hardly any people left in line. Scholz is taking his time, that’s probably the message the Chancellery wants to send.
The three-day “Democracy Festival” began on Friday in Berlin’s government district, to which the federal government invited people to mark the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law. The politicians wanted to use the opportunity to talk to citizens, explained deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann – and for Scholz, despite all the dissatisfaction with the traffic light coalition, it should be a pleasant afternoon.
Opinion
:A celebration as a warning
On the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law, the Federal President speaks of the dangers to democracy. But he remains vague on a crucial point.
At the opening of the Democracy Festival, he discussed with people who volunteer for the Democracy. Scholz rarely had to face critical questions, for example when a young Ukrainian who had fled his homeland because of the Russian war of aggression wanted to know why Scholz had refused to deliver Tauruscruise missiles to Ukraine. Germany has already provided or promised 28 billion euros in arms aid, Scholz explained, and also “delivered much of what is necessary to prevent destruction.” As Chancellor, however, he has the responsibility to ensure that there is no escalation between Russia and NATO. Because of the long range of the Taurus A delivery can only be justified “if we determine and set the goals ourselves,” Scholz stressed, and that is “again not possible if you do not want to be part of this debate yourself.”
Later, a woman asked him why he was not responding to the demands of the hunger strikers in Berlin. Activists in Invalidenpark have been refusing to eat for 80 days in order to get Scholz to make a government statement on the dangers of climate change. “I think it is a mistake to use violence against others, but also against yourself.” There was no point in instigating such an action in order to force talks, Scholz explained: “In a society where it is so easy to talk to the Chancellor, you don’t need a hunger strike to get that done.” He regularly exchanges views with citizens, Scholz assured, and anyone can ask him any question, which he will answer: “That is why it is my greatest wish that this action is called off.”
“This is how we all have to behave in everyday life”
With the “Democracy Festivals” in Berlin and the former capital Bonn, the federal government wants to depict “the diversity of our democracy and our coexistence” and make visible the institutions that support this basic order and thus bring it to life. The federal ministries have set up stands between the Reichstag building and the Chancellery where they provide information about their work. The federal states present themselves on a 360-degree stage with various cultural and discussion formats, and civil society organizations are represented in the Spreebogenpark with workshops and hands-on activities.
:A reason to celebrate
The Basic Law is 75 years old. How has the country and its inhabitants changed? What is the current state of the constitution and the values enshrined in it? And what is still typically German? The SZ asks this question in a series of stories. The overview.
However, there is one theme that runs through the entire celebration: “Democracy is not a gift,” stressed the Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer: “We all have to do something to keep it alive.” In this respect, it was only fitting that she, on behalf of all heads of government, was presented with something that should remind politicians of their obligation to the German constitution. For the “DNA of Democracy” initiative, researchers have translated millions of copies of the Basic Law into human DNA and processed it into ink. The idea behind it: When politicians sign from now on, they do so not only in their own name, but also in the name of the Basic Law. Southgerman newspaper is also participating in the initiative: The special edition for the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law was the first newspaper to be printed with ink made from artificial DNA.
The fact that democracy has been coming under increasing pressure from within and without for some time should also be evident in the conversation with Federal Council President Manuela Schwesig. She opened the citizens’ dialogue with a passionate plea for democracy: When Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer read out Article 1 of the Basic Law at the state ceremony on Thursday, she had goosebumps. “That reminded me once again that the Basic Law was the answer to the Nazi dictatorship and is still our obligation today.” “Human dignity is inviolable” should not just be a sentence in the Basic Law, warned Schwesig: “We must all behave like this in everyday life.” In times when radical forces are trying to undermine democracy, she appealed to society to stick together more strongly and to discuss things more objectively and respectfully.
Afterwards, a student asked Schwesig how threatened she thought the Basic Law was. The good news is that basic rights are unchangeable and a two-thirds majority is needed to make constitutional changes. But: “If parties that disregard the constitution come to power, they would have many options.” Schwesig encouraged the young people to vote in the upcoming European and local elections. The local level is not the basement of democracy, as it is often thought to be, but can make a big difference for local people, Schwesig stressed: “I am convinced that all democratic parties have people with whom one can identify.”