In Germany's political landscape, there are always rankings and ratings that cause a stir. The independent dialog portal abgeordnetenwatch.de recently published its annual response ranking, and the results for Saxony are quite interesting. AfD politician Tino Chrupalla stands out in particular, having managed to secure an unfortunate place in the ranking: last place.
The winners:inside the ranking
Let's start with the good news: 25 members of the Bundestag from Saxony have earned the title of "outstanding" by answering between 90 and 100 percent of the questions put to them. The frontrunners are Paula Piechotta (Alliance 90/The Greens), Detlef Müller (SPD) and Bernhard Hermann (Alliance 90/The Greens). Particularly noteworthy is Paula Piechotta, who improved from third to first place by answering 59 questions. An impressive performance that shows that these MPs take dialog with citizens seriously.
Tino Chrupalla: Radio silence in the dialog
On the other side of the spectrum is Tino Chrupalla, co-chair of the AfD. With a response rate of exactly zero percent to 45 questions put to him, he brings up the rear of the ranking. This is particularly remarkable as the AfD often emphasizes how important the concerns of citizens are to them. However, it seems that the voters' questions are not a priority for Chrupalla.
What does this mean?
The AfD often presents itself as the party that "has its ear to the ground". However, the figures from abgeordnetenwatch.de paint a different picture. While the frontrunners in the ranking impressively show that they take communication with the public seriously, Chrupalla remains silent. This could be a signal to many voters that the AfD's rhetoric and the actual actions of its representatives do not always match up.
A comparison
The general response rate in Saxony is 84%, which is above the national average of 77%. This shows that most MPs in Saxony are committed when it comes to responding to citizens' inquiries. In comparison, Chrupalla's zero rate is not only disappointing, but also a downward outlier.
Conclusion
The response rate is an objective, measurable value of the dialog between MPs and citizens. While many Saxon politicians shine here, Tino Chrupalla stands out rather negatively - no answers, just silence. For a party that often emphasizes the importance of dialogue with citizens, this is a rather ironic position. It remains to be seen how voters will react to this radio silence. What is clear, however, is that anyone seeking the trust of citizens should also be prepared to answer their questions - otherwise you will end up at the bottom of the ranking like Chrupalla.
