Winfried Kretschmann honors Angela Merkel with the Staufer Medal | EUROtoday

There was by no means any argument between Angela Merkel and Winfried Kretschmann. The former Chancellor and the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg have been united by their understanding of politics and black-green convictions. On Tuesday, Kretschmann awarded the CDU politicians with the Staufer Medal.

Winfried Kretschmann’s good relationship with the then Chancellor helped the Greens within the election marketing campaign twice: in 2016, Kretschmann supported the CDU Chancellor in refugee coverage. In 2021 he stood firmly by her aspect in pandemic politics.

It was due to this fact tough for the CDU to assault the Green Prime Minister – they might even have attacked the Chancellor. Now there may be an election marketing campaign once more in Baden-Württemberg and Kretschmann as soon as once more sought solidarity with Merkel’s CDU on Tuesday, even when they really not exist. He awarded Merkel the Staufer Medal on the New Palace in Stuttgart for her prudent pandemic coverage. For these within the CDU like Annette Schavan, Volker Kauder and Thomas Strobl, who might think about the Greens as junior companions after March eighth, it was a profitable night.

For the youthful technology within the CDU, together with the highest candidate and parliamentary group chief Manuel Hagel, it was extra of a compulsory occasion that one needed to be current at. For Hagel, black-green or green-black is not a undertaking; he needs a “civil awakening”.

In the election marketing campaign, the joint look of the 77-year-old Prime Minister and the 71-year-old former Chancellor is unlikely to assist the Greens a lot this time. But the ceremony might be understood as an enchantment from the 2 pragmatic authorities politicians and fact-oriented scientists to their respective events to not search salvation within the tradition struggle.

“Clear communication, detailed knowledge, leadership and trust – this is how you led our country through the crisis,” mentioned Kretschmann within the New Palace. Bravery and heroism usually are not the decisive virtues in such occasions, however slightly prudence and self-discipline. “Therefore, there were a variety of arguments in favor of the strategy of caution, not only from a medical but also from an ethical and constitutional perspective.”

Kretschmann, who will depart workplace in spring 2026, apparently additionally needed to present his successors directions for the longer term together with his speech: In crises, you may solely ever make choices based mostly on the scenario; errors and errors are a part of the “human condition”. Merkel confirmed with “prudent decision-making” what political management means in a democracy.

In her acceptance speech, Angela Merkel recalled how nice the political challenges have been in not sacrificing human dignity as required by the Basic Law. The virus unfold at a “monkey-like speed” and there was no vaccine accessible. That is being forgotten at the moment – even whether it is proper to take care of the errors of the pandemic. “It is right that in a democracy this is also investigated, but not foaming at the mouth, and it has to be looked at from the whole perspective.” During the pandemic it was not all the time nearly “freedom from something”, but additionally about “freedom for something”, i.e. for the well being of others.

Merkel additionally describes how unusual she discovered it that the federal authorities was compelled to impose important restrictions on freedom: “The pandemic was a democratic imposition. Coming from the GDR, I had great difficulties with having to suspend civil liberties. I couldn’t imagine that.”

Kretschmann’s determination to award the Staufer Medal to Merkel can be uncommon as a result of the Study Commission’s overview of the pandemic coverage has not but been accomplished and the difficulty is now considered critically by each the Greens and the CDU. But the Prime Minister has used awards ceremonies a number of occasions to focus on points that he want to obtain larger consideration. In 2024, he honored the journalist Heribert Prantl with the Staufer Medal and appointed his colleague Thomas Schmid as a professor to attract consideration to the significance of high quality journalism for democracy.