Democracy under pressure | DW Documentary

Democracy under pressure | DW Documentary

A man and a woman harass and spit on a Green Party politician and her team in Dresden in May. An arson attack a few weeks earlier on a politician in east Germany: Shortly before the European elections, these kinds of attacks have increased alarmingly. These three want to counter things – and strengthen Germany’s democracy. Benjamin Biel set up a traveling pub to give people a place to talk. Isabell Ciavarrella goes into schools to focus on young people. And Kristina Krömer has political discussions with people on a tram. Our first stop is Dresden. Packing has become a routine. About three times a week Kristina Krömer prepares for the special tram journey. There she does what she believes has often been neglected in recent years: talking instead of ranting or attacking each other. Democracy is all about dialogue. Things are supposed to get better, especially when you have the feeling that there is a need for improvement. We have our debates on the tram where people can’t get away and don’t really have anything to do. It’s actually the perfect place to start talking. The people of Dresden are invited to take part. "What do you think? " reads the slogan. Of course, everything is agreed on with the city. Each time a different topic takes center stage. Since the start of the project, Kristina Krömer and her team have made a remarkable observation. We have noticed that people have all kinds of opinions, some of which have very little to do with their experiences. For example, they say everything is bad, but personally, they’re fine. So the question is, if everything is so bad, why are they doing so well? Leander Hase has the hardest job. The physics student invites people to join the debate. A high frustration tolerance is definitely needed. But sometimes he’s lucky. In total, the team members talk to around 300 people every month. Today it’s about the EU. There are only a few weeks left until the European elections. There are fears of an enormous shift to the right. Quickly we are in the middle of debate on immigration. The extreme right say, ‘All migrants out, then everything will get better,’ and the left say, ‘Everyone should be allowed in, then it will also get better.’ What would your suggestion be? Those who are eligible could simply work, and the others have to be phased in first? I think you have to find a middle ground. If you’re on a tram with your baby, you don’t expect a discussion about EU politics. But it’s great. People are extremely divided, and you have to do something about it if you want to preserve our democracy. A study shows just how important that is. In Germany’s old federal states, around half of the population are dissatisfied with democracy – in the new federal states, the figure is as high as two-thirds. One reason: Many would like to have more say in politics. After three-and-a-half hours, the team is done. They have spoken with almost 20 people today. It’s back to the office. Kristina Krömer once again realized that political elites and the population have grown apart. Democracy as a concept of living together, as it was originally planned after the Nazi era, was eventually left to elected representatives. Only to then realize: Oh no, they don’t do everything the way we want them to. The population needs to be much more involved. But how do you get them involved? We leave Dresden and travel to Brandenburg in east Germany. There we meet Benjamin Biel. He also wants people to talk to each other again. But it’s more difficult here in the countryside than in the city. Attractive landscapes, but there is no bakery, no post office, and no pub for miles around. That’s why the 38 neighboring villages have thought of something: a traveling pub. Why is it important to have a pub? Because you can meet up there and talk to each other. The properties here are large and the distances are long. So you don’t automatically see each other. And if people are still working, well, you only see them if you visit them in their garden, which doesn’t happen that often! Today the traveling pub is in the village of Schapow. The location normally only opens for private events. Daniela Müller-Schabert takes care of the food. There are many pubs or community rooms in the villages that are no longer in use. So we came up with the idea of a traveling pub. Almost forty people have turned up. Many of them grew up in the former GDR, in East Germany. The Socialist Unity Party ruled there for decades. As an individual, you had no political voice. For me, that’s a GDR burden. It has to be learnt again that you can make a difference. That’s new for many people. It’s always important to be talking, right? For good cooperation and also to realize that you can influence something. Being able to influence something is one thing. Arguing peacefully with each other is another, for example, in the village pub over a beer. You learn to respect other opinions and to compromise. These public places, like pubs, were places of negotiation, of social negotiation, where information was exchanged and social standards were formed that we no longer have. In the last federal election three years ago, one in four people here voted for the AfD, a party which is, in parts, considered extremely right-wing. Many are worried that there will be a lot more votes for them in this year’s European and local elections. When I saw the candidates for the local elections, I was surprised that the AfD is the party with the most candidates. That’s also an issue in our village. I was glad we decided to run for the local council because otherwise only the AfD would have been on the list. In a complicated world, simplifiers from the far right are attractive. According to a study, around half of the population distrusts the German parliament. It is even worse concerning the media landscape. Two-thirds have little or no trust in it. Ahead of the European elections: Two-thirds have also lost faith in the European Commission. Citizens are becoming increasingly alienated from democratic institutions. This is why AfD conspiracy narratives go down well with many people here in Brandenburg. We don’t want to let this thing run, we have to warn people because, strictly speaking, this party has nothing to offer people, even if they don’t realize that yet. From the countryside we’re going back to the city, to Munich. There, Isabell Ciavarrella prepares for a meeting with schoolchildren – the voters of tomorrow. She is also concerned about Germany’s democracy. If you look at current trends in society, including in politics, it’s more important than ever to talk to schoolchildren about democracy, about our constitution, about the values that make up our society. The teacher for German and French is involved in an association called ‘10Drei’. They organize democracy workshops at schools. Everything revolves around the mother of Germany’s democracy: the Basic Law, its constitution. Are you the class 9A? Then you can come in slowly. Welcome to our democracy workshop. I’m really looking forward to your ideas. But these ideas need a kick start. The students collect first associations with the German constitution. What are the most important ones? The same rules for everyone, most important, code of law. Fundamental rights. Top 3! What are you doing? There are four now. Lose basic rights. I’ve never had anything to do with our Basic Law, so I’m looking forward to the workshop today. Well, of course, you often hear about it, but I don’t really know much about it, actually, almost nothing at all. The students grow up in a democratic form of government and are sometimes no longer aware of what a privilege democracy actually is, what opportunities it offers, but also protection and security. That is set to change today – when abstract rules turn into concrete examples. The pupils create their own personal version of the constitution and then write it down in their own words. Right now, they are talking about freedom of expression. I’m allowed to express and defend any opinion, both privately and publicly, even if I’m criticized by others, without being punished for it. I definitely think this law is very important because as soon as freedom of expression is restricted and you can no longer say what you really want to say, then it’s no longer a democracy. And a few open questions about the Basic Law are also clarified. Does the Basic Law also apply to apps, like Instagram? Of course it does! But then it’s limited by the terms of use. Exactly, that’s why they don’t apply to the app. Fortunately, the Basic Law and fundamental rights apply everywhere, except maybe sometimes at home. Usually in the morning, for example, when I don’t want to put on a jacket because I’m just not cold outside. I don’t want to listen to my mum’s opinion, but I don’t really have a choice. So do you put the jacket on? With protest. And what about social media? What it allowed and what isn’t? Important for young people who spend a lot of time there. It’s about the fundamental right ‘right to one’s own image’. And I wrote down, ‘I ask before I upload someone’s photo.’ I think that’s very important because nowadays everyone has a mobile phone, they can take a photo of someone and that can easily end up on the internet. That’s why you should always ask before you upload something. Thank you for your sentences, for your basic rights in your own words. Since the organization was founded, over 700 pupils have looked into Germany’s Basic Law in depth. Many schools obtain the material online themselves. Isabell Ciavarrella is satisfied with the day. The workshop went really great today. The pupils participated incredibly well and immediately shared their thoughts. Benjamin Biel, Isabell Ciavarrella, and Kristina Krömer give democracy new drive with their work because they know: A vibrant democracy needs active participation.

Right-wing extremist attacks on politicians are endangering Germany’s democracy – it’s better to talk than to fight, say these three initiatives.

Kristina Krömer in Dresden wants to keep Germany’s democracy alive – and resilient. She regularly sits on the tram with her team and encourages people to take part in political discussions. Sometimes they get ignored, sometimes they succeed in creating respectful debates. In Brandenburg, the ‘travelling pub’ wants to offer a space for such discussions at eye level in the countryside. Because in many small towns, the traditional pub has long closed down. And in Munich, the ‘10drei’ association wants to teach young people basic democratic rules. DW reporters Tessa Clara Walther and Bettina Stehkämper visited the three initiatives and experienced how citizens are successfully getting involved to strengthen Europe’s and Germany’s democracy.

0:00 Intro
1:02 The tram in Dresden
3:17 Dissatisfied with democracy
4:12 Travelling pub in Brandenburg
6:53 The far right is booming
7:41 Munich: Democracy at school

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