Will the “lateral thinkers” and other groups that arose from the protest against the corona policy disappear again with the end of the pandemic? Not when it comes to Michael Ballweg, the Stuttgart founder of the “lateral thinking” initiative. He thinks little of the attempt to bring the movement into the Bundestag via the small parties that have emerged from the corona denier scene. His goal, he said on Wednesday in an online conversation with the Swiss right-wing extremist Ignaz Bearth, was to change the political system.
Some constitutional protectors should sit up and take notice. Leaders of the “lateral thinking” movement are under observation in several federal states and in the federal government. While this was initially justified by a closeness to citizens of the Reich and right-wing extremists, from the point of view of the protection of the constitution it has meanwhile become apparent that there are efforts in parts of the movement that are anti-democratic and endangering security. Radical milieus mix in the scene, from right-wing extremists to esotericists to supporters of conspiracy narratives. In Baden-Württemberg, State Interior Minister Thomas Strobl (CDU) announced on Thursday that Stuttgart would continue to keep a close eye on the scene. “The danger posed by this new form of extremism is extremely high,” said Strobl. It worries him how many people “who were not at all hostile to democracy” are susceptible to “completely crude” and “dangerous conspiracy ideologies”.
At the moment there are two theses on how things could go on: The scene is getting smaller and more radicalized. It would also be conceivable that the well-networked actors succeed in focusing on a new topic with a similar “broad connectivity”, as Beate Bube, President of the Baden-Württemberg State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, puts it. Already now there is talk of a “climate dictatorship” again and again.
How many people do the “lateral thinkers” still bring onto the streets?
August 1st will show whether the “lateral thinkers” can still mobilize the masses. Ballweg is planning a large demonstration in Berlin for this day. In terms of content, the corona policy is apparently no longer the focus there. In a video talk a few days ago, Ballweg was emphatically mysterious about this. However, his answer to the question of which party to vote for as a supporter of the “lateral thinking” movement was quite revealing. It is more about these questions, said Ballweg: “Should I still vote? What does the parliamentary system bring? And what alternatives are there?” He and some colleagues had worked on the topic in “many working groups” over the winter and prepared something “great”. More details will be found on August 1st.
This could fit what the lawyer Ralf Ludwig, who is active in the “lateral thinking” movement, recently wrote on Telegram: “We will only support political parties whose main goal is to introduce referendums and referendums at the federal level. All other parties are undemocratic and want each other out of the control of the people they (supposedly) represent. “
Recently, the number of participants in some decentralized “lateral thinking” demonstrations has decreased significantly. Ballweg now apparently wants to focus more on a few events with supraregional appeal. In addition, “Quer Think 711”, Ballweg’s Stuttgart group, has called on its followers via Telegram to increasingly address people who do not belong to their own bubble, for example to send friends and acquaintances information via social media such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. In addition, “lateral thinking 711” is working on setting up its own platform as an alternative to YouTube.