Baerbock honors commitment to democracy

Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) paid tribute to the commitment to a strong democracy at a state party conference of the Saxon Greens. She said on Friday evening in Neukieritzsch near Leipzig that people across all democratic parties were demonstrating for the free basic order. "The vast majority of our country will defend this basic order, this constitution." The most important thing is that democrats stand together.

At the same time, Baerbock issued a clear rejection of populism. Populism feeds on the fact that rifts in society are deepening. "What populists also fear is compromise on issues." Yet compromise is the essence of democracy. "For a compromise, you have to be able to listen, you have to be willing to accept that the other person could also be right." You have to be prepared to take the other person's point of view. Only when you are prepared to see the suffering and the other person's point of view can you create peace on a large scale.

Demonstrations in front of the house of a local politician with a gallows on the poster are not a free expression of opinion, but a threat, a criminal offense, said Baerbock. Angry citizens are not disappointed citizens when they make racist statements, but a threat to democracy. "Of course there are reasons to be dissatisfied. And of course there are reasons to be angry as citizens." Nevertheless, people in Germany can be happy and grateful to live in one of the safest countries in the world, especially in times like these. In Germany, no one has to worry about being imprisoned for their opinion.

Towards the end of her half-hour speech, Baerbock also addressed the war in Ukraine. "For us, what we are doing in Ukraine is also self-protection." In these times, one could not automatically assume that peace and freedom would remain so forever. That is why supporting Ukraine is central for Germany, "because peace and freedom belong together".

The Saxon Greens want to discuss the program for the state election on 1 September with 120 delegates in Neukieritzsch until Saturday and then decide on it. The party received 8.6 percent of the vote in Saxony in the 2019 state election. In current polls, it currently stands at 7.0 percent.