Former Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, of the Greens, has warned about a potential threat to democracy in Germany. He told the “Tagesspiegel” (Thursday edition) that it is clearly apparent in some parts of society that there is an tendency to glorify the idea that the West, the EU, or even democracy itself is the problem, and that Russia is the solution-a development he described as extremely dangerous.
Referring to the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where the AfD has become the strongest force in each region, Habeck noted that criticism of, and even protests against, political conditions are always possible and are inherent to democracy. However, he strongly cautioned against the absolute fallacy that the democratic system is inferior or that authoritarian governments led by figures like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Vladimir Putin offer a better promise.
Habeck is calling for a concerted effort from the democratic center. Otherwise, he stated, conditions similar to those found in Saxony-Anhalt could spread to the federal level within the next ten to fifteen years. While he maintains that democracy in Germany is still stable and retains enough substance to learn from these problems and refocus, he stressed the necessity of building more trust in democratic institutions and principles, addressing social issues, and increasing public participation.
Regarding alternative political movements, Habeck stated that he does not expect a trend change from Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU), who is currently stuck in a polling slump. When asked whether Merz is the right chancellor for Germany’s uncertain era of change, Habeck responded that “Friedrich Merz is obviously operating within his capabilities.”
