Felix Banaszak, the leader of the Greens, accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz of distancing himself from the public during the election campaign in Saxony-Anhalt. Speaking to the broadcasters RTL and ntv, Banaszak asserted, “Friedrich Merz is campaigning without voters.” He suggested that avoiding voter contact only happens when a politician is afraid of the resulting images or potential negative reactions.
Banaszak argued that trying to hide from voters during a campaign does not reduce the growing disconnect between the citizens and the political class; rather, it likely exacerbates it. Furthermore, he cautioned that Merz’s own campaign involves confrontation. If one is so fearful of negative encounters that they stop seeking positive ones, Banaszak warned, they “cannot be surprised when others benefit from the situation.”
Regarding Merz’s statement that Saxony-Anhalt should not become an “experiment field for angry citizens,” Banaszak maintained that this perspective deepens the alienation. He stressed: “Not 40 percent are far-right angry citizens. There are many people who are significantly alienated from the democratic system.” According to Banaszak, alienation cannot be solved by broadly insulting the populace; instead, one must engage with people in dialogue while simultaneously standing up for one’s own values and positions.
