Chancellor dialog: “Stay relaxed,” says Scholz, “that would significantly improve our cooperation” | EUROtoday

Olaf Scholz has one want: “Stay relaxed, that would significantly improve our coexistence,” mentioned the Chancellor on Monday night in Brandenburg an der Havel.

A retired pastor beforehand complained about “exclusion” in politics. More and extra individuals are coming to him and reporting that they’re frightened that they may now not even be allowed to exit for espresso with AfD supporters. “We can no longer say what we think,” is her feeling. The Lord reminds us of Jesus Christ, who’s his instance. He simply spoke to the marginalized.

Scholz counters. “Many people think so, but it’s simply not true,” says the Chancellor concerning the alleged talking bans. “In this country you can say pretty much anything – including insulting the Chancellor and making obscene gestures in front of event rooms.”

On the opposite, way more contradiction is required. “Democracy must not be questioned,” mentioned Scholz. Nobody ought to duck away when right-wing extremists manage in opposition to peaceable coexistence. Scholz remembers the Potsdam assembly of AfD officers and right-wing extremists revealed by the net medium Correctiv, at which, in keeping with the report, the “remigration” of German residents was mentioned to have been deliberate. “This has all happened before in the language of our country with very terrible consequences,” mentioned the Chancellor.

Scholz might be a visitor on the thirteenth cease of his “Chancellor Talks” in Brandenburg on Monday night. Such a format ought to happen in each federal state, by which residents can ask any query that pursuits them for 90 minutes. Photos of Cindy from Marzahn, the Wildecker Herzbuben, Michael Wendler and the Amigos dangle above the buffet within the native “Stahlpalast” on the outskirts of town. There is apple pie, lemonade and filter espresso. Interested residents had been in a position to register for the night upfront on the Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung, and the 160 locations had been then drawn.

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The Chancellor's tour takes place in a great election year – in which the traffic light coalition started with constant strife and poor poll numbers. The European Parliament will be elected in June, and in the fall the Brandenburg State Parliament will be elected alongside the Saxon and Thuringian Parliaments. According to surveys, the AfD could become the strongest party here, with the Chancellor's party only a few percentage points behind. The red-black-green coalition will still be in power until September.

There are a good 50 people standing in front of the door who would rather change that today than in the fall. They followed the AfD's call to demonstrate against the Scholz conversation. “Resistance cannot be banned” is written on a flag, “Germany, embarrassing fatherland” is written on an indication. A tractor is parked within the car parking zone in entrance of the corridor, and a dozen individuals have gathered on the curb reverse behind a mix of the German and Russian flags. “Do you want a beer?” one in all them asks. Otherwise, most individuals right here don't wish to speak to the press. One pensioner thinks the occasion with the Chancellor was staged anyway, one other says that the Federal Republic is “worse than the GDR”.

Meanwhile, within the corridor, Scholz solutions questions on all types of political matters. He emphasizes that Germany wants immigration of expert staff to be able to keep prosperity. He recommends {that a} scholar begin a “health care startup.” There should be extra sanctions for “total refusers” who don’t wish to settle for a job – or, as Scholz says, “slog their way through”.

A younger Yazidi who has lived in Germany for eight years asks Scholz for a private interview. He desires to stop deportations of Yazidis to Iraq. There they skilled genocide by terrorists from the so-called Islamic State (IS); in keeping with the UN, as much as 10,000 Yazidis had been murdered there and ladies had been enslaved. Scholz explains that IS has been defeated in Iraq at the moment and that German troopers are additionally guaranteeing safety there.

Germany is behaving “hypocritically” with its stance within the Gaza struggle, says an older lady. Scholz ought to push for a ceasefire in Israel and take extra measures in opposition to the rampant starvation in Gaza. Scholz then emphasizes: Germany is on the forefront right here. He personally conveyed his criticism of the deliberate Rafah offensive to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Nevertheless, Israel has a proper to combat the terrorists due to the “terrible attack by Hamas”. He hopes for a two-state answer as a future perspective for Israelis and Palestinians alike. “People are always people and no one should be demeaned or demonized.”

“Going into debt without borders wouldn’t be a good idea either.”

A scholar desires to know whether or not it isn't absurd that he has to enter debt for his schooling – additionally as a result of the coed mortgage shouldn’t be sufficient – however the state is sticking to the debt brake. “I think you need something like that so that it doesn’t go on forever,” replies the Chancellor. In the pandemic, the vitality disaster or the tools of the Bundeswehr after the Russian struggle of aggression on Ukraine, it was proper to make giant investments with debt. But that has to finish now, mentioned Scholz. “Going into debt without borders wouldn’t be a good idea either.”

And even when the AfD isn’t talked about by title, it’s at all times concerning the right-wing occasion. “When the wind of change blows, some build walls and others build windmills,” says one man. The election outcomes of latest years have led to “firewalls, never changes.” Berlin, he says, now not understands what actually strikes individuals.

Scholz contradicts. “I am of the opinion that there have to be fire walls,” he says. Diversity of opinion is essential; the restrict comes when democracy is underneath assault. The failure of democracy within the Weimar Republic confirmed how vital the combat for the Basic Law and for steady circumstances is at the moment, mentioned Scholz.

And whereas the Chancellor continues to be answering the final query, a citizen is proving how a lot is feasible on this democracy. Scholz ought to lastly resign, the person shouts. “Yes, yes, yes,” Scholz solutions nearly casually. The man stands up, cursing underneath his breath. “You’re just talking piss, dude,” he shouts and runs in direction of the exit.