Maybrit Illner (ZDF): Friedrich Merz imitations and a red-green-red bugbear

Shortly before the general election, Maybrit Illner discussed in her political talk on ZDF about the “First election after Merkel – last exit towards the future?”

Berlin – Many younger people don’t know a German society without Angela Merkel. For more than three million voters, the 2021 federal election is the first election ever – but what will be the first election? Which questions are relevant: climate policy, of course, digitization, the future of the world of work or retirement?

In the ZDF round at Maybrit Illner, the generations between 20 and 40 from the parties of the CDU, SPD, FDP and Bündnis90 / Die Grünen discuss at the table, while “MrWissen2go” and a baby boomer also find clear words.

Maybrit Illner (ZDF): Many young people are voting for the first time in the federal election

Sarah-Lee Heinrich is 20 years old and a member of the “Green Youth” of B’90 / The Greens. She joins the discussion with a criticism of Angela Merkel, which was previously theatrically reinforced in her role as a crisis manager. For the young politician, however, it is very clear that Germany needs a government that will not continue as before.

But it is just as clear for Christoph Ploß, 36 years old and a member of the CDU, that Armin Laschet will end up in front of Olaf Scholz’s SPD. Right at the beginning he shoots against his direct neighbor Jessica Rosenthal, a member of the SPD, 29 years old and federal chairman of the Jusos. This lists how many questions in social justice have still not been answered under the CDU. How could it be that even those who earn better could not even afford a room, let alone an apartment in the big cities?

Ria Schröder, 26 years old and a member of the FDP, is currently feeling the desire for change in all generations. Only the ideas go in very different directions. Hajo Schumacher is 57 years old, a baby boomer, journalist and author who has many impulses. His carbon footprint is so big that they could all bathe in it, he admits right from the start with a refreshingly unaffected honesty. But then he just didn’t know any better. Now everyone knows the challenge, but the reaction is still too slow and hesitant. The only thing is that the climate doesn’t wait until Germany “gets into the puschen”.

ZDF talk show at Maybrit Illner is working on Angela Merkel

Mirko Drotschmann, 35 years old, moderator and YouTuber as “MrWissen2go”, was just finishing high school in 2005 when Angela Merkel became Chancellor. In his first job, after the general election, he had to ask young people about their expectations of the government. At that time, climate change was not on the agenda, but network expansion was mentioned again and again and these expectations were disappointed.

Angela Merkel has always governed for the moment and thus mastered many crises, but thought too little about the future, he believes. The core target group of the Union is the 40 to 60 year olds and for this generation every change is a risk to their own security and every new limit setting a restriction on the more or less hard-won freedoms.

With the CO2 limit, too, as with every limit, it is ultimately clear that there comes a point where a different direction has to be taken, explains Sarah-Lee Heinrich. Maybrit Illner brings Annalena Baerbock into play, who said in Triell that every ban is also a driver of innovation. With a regulatory policy, one can ensure that certain paths are no longer expanded and instead invested in others, explains Sarah-Lee Heinrich. But not at the price that would make people live in misery, she adds energetically.

A guest suddenly sounds like Friedrich Merz in the ZDF talk at Maybrit Illner

It is difficult to say that they only need innovations, says Jessica Rosenthal. There could have been innovations 15 years ago, but they never happened. Politicians must give a clear direction and thus convey security and stability. Ria Schrödern names Biontech as an example: The company has been researching for many years, but when Corona came, the money for the development of a vaccine was suddenly available. For the climate crisis, too, the decisive spark of development should come from Germany, and the framework here must continue to improve so that new markets can generate and grow. Of course, changes would also come with it, but those that are feasible, that people want and can also be expected of.

The state always dictates what is allowed and what is not, continues Christoph Ploß. The only difference is the approach of the respective parties. In the case of the Greens, they think they will achieve their goals with bans. But Tesla, for example, was not created in a culture of prohibition, but in a culture in which the company could develop. Flying should not be banned either: it just needs to be made climate-neutral, such as with green electricity from Bavaria. These fuels, which are no longer based on oil but on electricity, could then also be exported to other countries.

Maybrit Iller (ZDF): Climate protection costs money, but saves lives

Hajo Schumacher feels that Christoph Ploß sounds a lot like Friedrich Merz. And with that, the same evergreens can be heard that he heard 20 years ago. With the same innovation records “we are now flying with green electricity from Bavaria”, he mimics him and rolls his eyes. Perhaps they really have a crisis of ideas, he quotes Maren Urner. Climate protection not only costs money and jobs, it also saves lives if you look at Corona or the Ahr Valley.

The problem is that the MPs are only elected for four years, that is, they have to do something that pays off after four years at the latest in order to be re-elected. Half a year passed quickly after the general election. The formation of the coalition will be held up until Christmas and then the new team will first have to get used to it. The cogs in the mill are too slow and climate change in between is a stress test.

Illner-Talk on ZDF: When the guests roll their eyes

Mirko Drotschmann explains that communication is very important here. It will be discussed what it will cost to fight the climate crisis. But there is no discussion of what the climate crisis will cost, that there will be a big problem with the Gulf Stream if everything goes on like this. The floods in Germany in particular were a shocking eye-opener for many, because the consequences for the future could be outlined here: The precautionary measures are the lesser evil as opposed to what is to come.

Sarah-Lee Heinrichein throws her in, but it is not just about communicating horror scenarios, but also about what could turn out to be positive: People could also be better if they live in a society where people are more actively committed to the climate, cities are made more beautiful and more ecological and where everyone can get there easily. You should relieve people of worries and say that there is also social climate policy.

But the way the Greens wanted it to be, it wasn’t socially just, it should get more expensive, Christoph Ploßnach argues. He brings the example, well-known in this election campaign, of the caregiver living in the country who depends on their car in order to be able to drive to work. This time it’s Sarah-Lee Heinrich rolling her eyes: Then maybe in the next few years they could agree that the minimum wage will finally be raised and the nursing staff earn more, she counters. Christoph Ploß emphasizes that nursing wages have risen sharply under the CDU government, but Sarah-Lee Heinrich’s facial expressions speak volumes again: Nevertheless, every fifth nurse works in the low-wage sector. The truth cannot be glossed over.

Pension is also a topic in the ZDF Talk at Maybrit Illner

In many areas, including pensions, people pretend that all achievements can stay as they are, adds Ria Schröder, but that is not how it works. From 2025 on, the baby boomers will retire and a quarter of the federal budget is already flowing into a pension system that should actually be self-supporting. There are 1.3 million, adds Hajo Schumacher. Then the younger generation will automatically find a job market that is urgently looking for people and unemployment will decrease. What will remain a big issue, however, is the social gap, which will widen even further in the next few years, because a young generation will grow up with a golden spoon and inherit a lot, while the others have no chance at all to To be able to save money.

What Hajo Schumacher says is a plea for inheritance tax, and Christoph Ploß goes along with a low one. Raising the working life to 67 years was also a great success for the CDU, he thinks, because if everyone got older and stayed healthy longer, it would be necessary for them to have to pay longer. How long does he think he will work, asks Maybrit Illner. And Ploß laughs, he enjoys his work. The SPD in particular often gives the impression that they have to get rid of their work in order to have a good life. For Ploß, work is participation. And, in his opinion, many people would rather have more flexibility in their work: Many older people could and would like to work and they should be used in tasks that are adapted.

Maybrit Illner (ZDF): Everyone agrees that something has to change

Jessica Rosenthal turns her gaze to Christoph Ploß that people should not have to top up their jobs with a mini job and a second job. Many people might like to go to work, but do they really enjoy getting such a low wage, that they have to continue working after their work?

And even if they finished school with a high school diploma, a bachelor’s or master’s degree, it would be of no use if many of them ended up working in a low-wage sector, adds Sarah-Lee Heinrich, and the two exchange understanding looks. Even if fear of the red-green-red bugbear should be stirred up again: It seems more daunting for younger people if parties do not distinguish themselves clearly enough from the CDU, they also send a gentle blow to the other side of the table. Christoph Ploß takes it calmly: They are out and about in very different milieus.

And the problem with the different spoons is also very strikingly clear here at the discussion at the table. The question is, which milieu succeeds in making itself heard in the end? The majority at least seem certain that something has to change, both in the world’s climate and in the climate between people. (Tina Waldeck)