MSince Monday, activists from the “last generation” have been trying to shut down Berlin with a “city shutdown” in order to make their demands heard. There have already been dozens of roadblocks and vandalism. Most recently, commuter traffic in the capital was obstructed at 30 different locations, and luxury shops were sprayed with orange paint.
The guests at “Maischberger” on Wednesday evening discussed whether these protest actions are justified or go too far. Carla Hinrichs, spokeswoman for the last generation, claimed that the government was doing nothing to avert the climate crisis and on the show again called for a social council as a new body for the Federal Republic. Member of the Bundestag Philipp Amthor (CDU) described this demand as a strange understanding of democracy and a “pseudo subsidiary parliament”.
Other guests in the studio were ARD sports presenter Gerhard Delling, freelance journalist Hannah Bethke and presenter and journalist Rahel Klein (Deutschlandfunk Nova). In addition, show host Frank Elstner and animal filmmaker Christian Ehrlich reported on their animal welfare work.
“More and more people from all areas of society are joining us, for example from the side of the church,” said Carla Hinrichs. “I’ve already convinced my own family to take to the streets with me.” A Berlin court has just sentenced her friend, a 24-year-old activist, to four months in prison. Hinrichs: “For every person sitting in a cell, five new people will join the protest.”
Philipp Amthor described the forms of protest as “violence” because they restrict people’s freedom. “If ambulances are no longer used, then this must be prosecuted. Nor is it legitimate to destroy a work of art in a museum in order to draw attention to its aims.”
Moderator Maischberger asked spokeswoman Hinrichs how the goals of the alliance should be achieved. “I assume that if the protest is so disruptive and it cannot be ignored, then the government has no choice but to address it,” she replied. Amthor then: “The form of protest is radical, but the content that is demanded is pretty lukewarm. The required social council means the delegitimization of parliament. “Fortunately in Germany we have a representative democracy and a social council, and that is the German Bundestag,” said the politician.
“The discussions with Fridays for Future were much more to the point”
“I don’t know what else I’m looking for in such a discussion group,” said Hinrichs then. A member of parliament like Philipp Amthor could not tell her what the plan for climate protection was, and moderator Maischberger always asked her the same questions that “society should not be interested in.” After all, the “disaster” was in front of everyone and only one small window of opportunity to avert them. “What would you do?” Hinrichs asked.
Maischberger replied: “I have named your demands and I take them seriously and I have to ask you because we are discussing them on the basis of your demands. So if many Philipp Amthors sit in the required company council by drawing lots, then they won’t get any further. Why should the Social Council change what the Bundestag, as the representative office of the population, does not change either?”
Hinrichs then explained her idea of this social council: “The social council represents a mini-Germany, not elected but drawn by lot. The members work on the basis of scientific reality and not with a view to being re-elected. If they then want to keep going at 160 km/h on the autobahn, okay. You will then have to find other measures to get out of the fossils.” The decisions of the council should then go to the Bundestag, she said.
“That’s a very strange understanding of democracy and doesn’t serve the purpose,” countered Amthor. If you want to achieve the Paris climate goals, you need social acceptance. “But we don’t achieve this by creating a pseudo-secondary parliament based on identity politics or by constantly expanding their protest actions, which have been widely rejected by society.”
Then the CDU politician praised the climate activists from “Fridays for Future”: “The discussions with Fridays for Future were much more at the heart of the matter. But with their form of protest they create more problems than they solve.” Journalist Rahel Klein spoke out in support of the actions of the last generation. “Civil disobedience has to hurt, otherwise it would be pointless,” she said. “The last generation acts in an absolutely exemplary non-violent manner.” It is admirable how calm the activists remained, even though police officers would use violence.
In conversation with Maischberger, show master Frank Elstner showed sympathy for the actions of the last generation. “I would have been happy if I had been there earlier.” His generation “slept through an awful lot,” said the 80-year-old.
“I warn against romanticizing this protest action,” said Bethke, who has a doctorate in political science. The methods used would violate the rules of the rule of law, “and acceptance among the population is falling more and more.” According to the latest ZDF political barometer, 82 percent of the German population as a whole go too far with the actions of the last generation, while 16 percent welcome the blockades from main roads.