Dirk Wiese, the SPD parliament chief director, rebutted criticism from Bundestag President Julia Klöckner (CDU) over what he called exaggerated expectations that ordinary citizens place on politics. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post” on Monday, Wiese said that a functional and capable state is not a luxury but a prerequisite for restoring confidence in democracy. “Politics must not pretend that people’s expectations are the problem; it must deliver where it can-affordable housing, decent wages, reliable infrastructure and social security. Honesty means not downplaying expectations but clearly stating what we are doing, what we aim to achieve, and following through. That is how trust is built” he said.
Adding to this, Wiese explained that the coalition’s task is to demonstrate that solutions to major domestic and international challenges can be found from the democratic center. “We roll up our sleeves every day” he explained. “While impatience and uncertainty are high in the country, citizens’ expectations of politics are rightly high”.
Klöckner had previously complained in “Bild am Sonntag” that “never before have so many citizens expected politics to solve almost every problem, and mistrust in politics has never been so great”.
