The Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock competes in the ARD election arena. There she answers the questions of the citizens: inside.
Yes she came. Annalena Baerbock, candidate for Chancellor of the Greens, ran for the first ARD election arena in this year’s election campaign. It was only on Sunday (September 5th, 2021) that the conservative media were amused that Baerbock had refused an interview with Bild am Sonntag, allegedly for scheduling reasons. The Greens has apparently been rejecting an invitation to appear in Markus Lanz’s show for months, and depending on the political stance, the reasons can be speculated with relish.
While Baerbock eludes questions from some journalists before the federal election in 2021, she answered questions from citizens for 75 minutes on ARD. Since 2005, the format imitated the American town hall debates has been established, the chancellor candidates encounter a group of spectators that was not chosen at random, but roughly corresponds to a cross-section of the population. In the Lübeck Kulturwerft, NDR editor-in-chief Andreas Cichowicz and Ellen Ehni, editor-in-chief of WDR, welcomed citizens and Baerbock.
ARD election arena: Annalena Baerbock (Greens) for speed limit
It started with a question that moves Germany’s population like no other: Will there be a speed limit on motorways? A clear yes from Baerbock, for reasons of safety, but also to protect the environment.
A 23-year-old geriatric nurse asked what the Greens wanted to do for a group that was celebrated in the corona pandemic, but whose situation had already been catastrophic. The template transformed Baerbock confidently and emphasized the three main goals of the Green election program on the topic: The working hours of nursing staff are to be reduced to 35 hours, wage increases that have long been decided are finally implemented and a realistic personnel key is to be introduced. Last but not least, this means gaining more skilled workers, issuing work permits for workers from abroad more quickly, but also counteracting the lack of recognition so that applause is not only given in extreme situations such as the pandemic, but also in less tense phases.
ARD election arena with Annalena Baerbock: Cooperation between the security authorities must be strengthened
Internal security: The operator of a Christmas stand in Berlin, who witnessed the attack on Breitenbachplatz, asked Baerbock about the presence of the police: More and more police officers are being fired, others are retiring, how should public security be maintained? The cooperation between the security authorities must be strengthened, and pay should also be increased in this area. Baerbock wants to hire more police officers, which is likely to irritate some of the regular Green voters, who like to chant bold slogans like ACAB and generally consider law enforcement officers to be enemies.
Another topic that not only the Greens have at the top of the agenda was addressed by a viewer of Turkish origin who complained that because of his origins he had little chance of getting a job in the public service. An opportunity for Baerbock to refer to one of her most important goals, namely the creation of a ministry for society that should reflect the diversity of society and be active in all areas against discrimination. Without a doubt, a first step on the way to equal treatment of minorities, but the way to real acceptance is likely to be long.
Annalena Baerbock in the ARD election arena: Chancellor candidate for 2G regulation
It continued with the green core topic of climate protection, especially the agreement with the living conditions in rural regions. A nurse indicated how difficult it would be for her to take part in the necessary climate protection at the same time, but also to maintain her mobility. Here, too, big promises from Annalena Baerbock, the financing of which one can worry about once the election has been won: The supply of local public transport is to be strengthened, buses run every hour, closed train stations reopen, the switch to electric cars Funded with up to 9,000 euros and the childcare situation in day-care centers can also be improved.
Finally, the subject of Corona, which will inevitably also occupy the next Chancellor. Baerbock clearly advocated the 2G regulation, which in view of the shockingly low vaccination rate in Germany is the only way to prevent another lockdown.
The Green candidate not only represented clear positions here, was evidently very well prepared, also parried critical questions confidently and acted as her supporters had wanted from the beginning of the election campaign. It remains to be seen whether there will be enough time in the last three weeks before the election to turn things around and to form the next government at least as a junior partner of the SPD. (Michael Meyns)
