Former German President Christian Wulff has expressed concerns about the prevailing mood in the current Bundestag election campaign. “I’m meeting many people who are pessimistic and apocalyptic, as if everything is going to collapse” he told the “Tagesanbruch” podcast on T-Online on Wednesday.
Wulff recalled that his parents and grandparents had also faced significant challenges, but had overcome them. He believes that the current problems are also solvable. “We need a collective great effort and we must call on everyone to join in” he said, emphasizing the need for unity among both citizens with migration backgrounds and those who have always lived in Germany.
The former president also warned against patronizing the public. “Since Corona, many politicians have conveyed a paternalistic feeling to me: ‘We’re taking care of it, we have a bazooka and we can do as we please,'” he said, referencing Finance Minister Olaf Scholz’s (SPD) description of the economic stimulus package as a “bazooka”.
Wulff called for citizens to be consulted more frequently during a parliamentary term. “The parliament will need to think about new ways, including online formats, to revitalize democracy.” He cited ideas competitions, discussion events and digital formats as examples of how to revitalize democracy.