There was talk of currywurst and the TikTok appearance of the Chancellor’s briefcase when Olaf Scholz answered questions from interested Tagesspiegel readers in Berlin on Wednesday evening. But also of the big, serious issues of the hour.
Citizens’ allowance, migrationhousing shortage, problems with health care, speed limits, debt brakes: At the “Chancellor’s Talk” in the ufa factory, randomly selected citizens had the chance to personally ask the Chancellor the question that was particularly close to their hearts.
And the SPD chancellor used the opportunity to ask a counter question here and there. For example, when a teacher said that the dispute in the coalition reminded him of the children he had to look after. He asked whether there was a better way. “What is your magic formula? I’m asking for a friend,” Scholz replied.
But above all, he gave serious answers. For example, when a gentleman reported that he knew many families who urgently needed a larger apartment after the arrival of their second child. But there were none, “and they still had to watch as the apartments went to Ukrainians.”
The key is to build enough housing
The Chancellor took a clear position: “The major challenges on the Housing market have nothing to do with the immigration movements for refugees,” he said. Even if it is true that the situation is becoming more difficult due to these immigration movements, the decisive factor is to build enough new housing. Cities like Singapore or Seoul are much more densely populated than Berlin or Hamburg, so something still needs to be done.
Germany is the biggest supporter of Ukraine in Europe, the second biggest in the world, he said elsewhere. The problem with the German debate is that some people have not even noticed this. The right to asylum applies, and Germany also needs immigration beyond that, hard-working people who will lend a hand. But for the latter, “we can choose who comes.”
What is important and valuable about democracy is that we as people decide for ourselves.
Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor (SPD)
Other people are concerned with completely different issues. One woman said she has friends who are active in the last generation. They are desperate, no form of engagement has any effect. What advice does the Chancellor have for them?
First of all, he advises himself and everyone to be humble, said Scholz. As a 17-year-old, he too had “great ideas” about how to solve all the world’s problems. It was frustrating at the time that not everyone in the world had taken up his great ideas within a month. But in a democracy, it is difficult to convince other people of your own ideas. He simply does not believe that the world is going to end. Germany can develop the right technologies.
“Counter-arguments, contradict”
And democracy in general. Scholz was asked what was valuable about it. And he gave an emotional answer: “What is important and valuable about democracy is that we as people decide for ourselves. That I don’t have to be afraid and can live without fear. That the majority cannot decide: the minority will now be persecuted.”
He said elsewhere that everyone is called upon to do their part when it came to the election results in Thuringia and Saxony and the success of the AfD. “Counter, contradict.” He found the election results depressing, and in times of uncertainty “swamp flowers” always flourish. Citizens should not see all of this as something that only happens on television.
© Federal Government/Marvin Ibo Güngör
How nice it would be to be able to look twenty years into the future and judge from there whether the right decisions are being made now, said the Chancellor. “Then everything would be much more relaxed.” But that is simply not possible. Robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computers. Many people would ask themselves: Where do I fit in? People would be worried.
Germany has to catch up in terms of the future
And the Chancellor also showed that he is aware that Germany has some catching up to do in the future. For example, when it comes to the children from Ukraine who had to flee here. “It’s a bit embarrassing: some of the Ukrainian children can be educated from Ukraine, with digital lessons. Yes, and us?”
Yes, where are we? In a country where not everything can be arranged quickly and easily. The Chancellor also gave insights into how things sometimes work in the government workshop.
“The lobbyists are also very busy,” he said when asked why the planned advertising ban on unhealthy children’s food has still not come to fruition. He has negotiated so many times on the subject of speed limits, but has not yet been able to find a legislative majority in the German Bundestag. The Chancellor believes that experimenting with citizens’ councils makes sense. “Something is happening there: getting involved with each other, listening to each other. We should try that out more often.” And when it comes to the Democracy Promotion Act – another traffic light project that is in the pipeline – he gave the motto: “Every comma is not important now, the main thing is that we are through first.”
That was the evening in the ufa factory, albeit much too early. Many people still had questions. But there is little time in a chancellor’s calendar. After all, there should still be time for photos with the citizens, for everyone who wanted to take a snapshot for their private album. Another offer that people gladly accepted.
