Political fallout from the Hartz reforms in Germany. - Victim of SPD whipping speaks out against negative remarks towards Ampel Party
Matthias Ecke (41), a member of the European Parliament from Dresden, who was allegedly attacked by far-right extremists while putting up posters, has now made serious accusations against the CDU/CSU party.
Ecke expressed his concern, saying, "I'm worried to see how some of the democratic opposition, particularly those targeting politicians from the traffic light party, seem unbothered."
Brutalization of the Political Climate
"For years, we've seen a brutalization of the political climate in Germany, especially in Saxony," he stated. "This isn't a coincidence. It's a calculated brutalization being driven by the AfD and other far-right groups."
His accusation: "Of course, people like Höcke, Urban, and Krah play a part in highlighting political opponents as enemies. And some might be encouraged to take matters into their own hands."
The Need for Democratic Consensus
"On the other hand, we should also acknowledge that tensions between democratic parties have increased," Ecke continued. "We need to resume an objective debate and work towards a democratic consensus, both within the coalition and the opposition."
He called out, "We mustn't use this social climate to score points at the expense of opponents. We need to distance ourselves from cooperation with far-right forces."
Escalating Political Hostility
Ecke urged, "Democratic parties should avoid engaging in the topics and language of the extreme right. That would be a crucial component to ensure I'm not the most severely injured victim of this election campaign."
Ulf Buermeyer (48), a podcaster, supported Ecke's point, suggesting that the CDU/CSU should consider being more careful in its criticism of the traffic light party.
Contradiction! "We have to be allowed to criticize without being equated with the AfD by some politicians from the traffic lights," responded Dorothee Bär (46, CSU), deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. "There's also someone from the Greens, when I speak, they always say 'far-right, far-right'!"
Parallels with the Past
Klamroth shared two video clips on his topic "The brutalized republic: How endangered is democracy?": In 2017, AfD honorary chairman Alexander Gauland (83) threatened Chancellor Angela Merkel (69): "We will chase you down!" In 1994, Green Party board spokesman Ludger Volmer (72) declared against Chancellor Helmut Kohl (+87): "We will chase him down!"
Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (58, Greens) acknowledged the similarities, but added, "It was in a different time."
However, she admitted, "I wouldn't have said it."
Concerning Trends
"After my car was burned down in 2015, I was physically attacked for the first time in 2016," said Beatrix von Storch (52, AfD), deputy leader of the parliamentary group. "The perpetrator, Jean Peters, who now holds a key position at Correctiv, received the Aachen Peace Prize, while I was given police protection."
The Correctiv employee had thrown a cake in von Storch's face at the time. Klamroth added, citing a statistic: in 2013, there were 2,790 attacks on politicians, most of them against the Greens. However, the majority were mere insults. The violent crimes, though, significantly impacted AfD politicians.
Final Thoughts
"Could I make one final statement as a declaration of love for our job?" Bär asked at the end. "I am truly dedicated to the Bundestag, and it's sad when young women, in particular, decide not to run for office."
She urged, "To anyone watching now: There's a lot of drama but also much joy in our representative democracy. I hope that many people will step up and not just vote."
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Source: symclub.org
