Enough is enough! The line has been crossed. What politicians have to endure in their work is not only alarming – it jeopardises our democracy.
Unfortunately, Jasper Robeck has personal experience of this. As a Green Party city councillor, he wanted to put up a poster on the Anger in Erfurt. It took three minutes, then the poster was torn up, Jasper was labelled a “Hitler pig” and threatened with death. The investigation is ongoing. During our conversation, we agreed that we should never accept that politicians from democratic parties have to work under these circumstances as normal.
I am observing in Brussels how conservatives are increasingly seeking cooperation with the right. In Bavaria, we are seeing that it is possible to remain deputy prime minister with the views of Hubert Aiwanger. And in Erfurt, Jasper is experiencing how hate is now being openly acted upon on the streets during ordinary election campaigns.
Right-wingers are fuelling the mood with their populism. We continue to focus on a tough but objective discourse, on facts instead of lies. And on clearly categorising acts such as those in Erfurt. All democratic parties must work together to achieve this.
