The Federal Minister for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, has acknowledged that the mood in Germany is not merely bad but “miserable.” Speaking to Spiegel, the independent minister told the public that their dissatisfaction is entirely justified. He noted that citizens feel the country is in a wretched state following seven years of economic crisis and warned that Germany is completely falling behind globally in terms of competitiveness. Weimer emphasized that people recognize this decline, stating that self-esteem is deeply shaken-a sentiment reflected accurately in opinion polls.
He framed the current situation by comparing the government to medical professionals dealing with a sick patient on an operating table. “You don’t say ‘super mood’ about someone who might be rising,” he explained. “No, you have to operate to heal, and you know he won’t start running again next year.” Weimer cautioned against overly optimistic expectations, stating that polls at Christmas or in the following spring are unlikely to show significant improvement. However, he expressed confidence that a turnaround will occur within two years if policies are implemented correctly.
Recognizing the severity of their task, Weimer stated that the government is forced to pursue a “pragmatic policy of concentrated access.” He described communication challenges associated with this difficult reality: “It’s naturally very hard in political communication. If you make a press release from the operating room saying, ‘Yes, I just placed the cannula and there’s bleeding now,’ you can’t sell that. People outside will say, ‘How disgusting. Blood.'” He reiterated that they are now entering the serious phase of treatment, which inherently involves a bad general sentiment.
Looking further ahead, Weimer made a strong assertion regarding rival political parties. He predicted that the AfD would crumble within the current legislative period because it lacks fundamental moral and intellectual substance.
