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Eastern Commissioner Schneider (on January 13 in the Bundestag)
Photo: Janine Schmitz/photothek.de / imago images/photothek
»The democratic practice of negotiating compromises has remained alien to them«: The Federal Government Commissioner for East Germany, Carsten Schneider (SPD), assumes that authoritarian political attitudes from the GDR era are still having an impact on people in East Germany to this day.
At the same time, he recalled that the protests in 1989 made the peaceful revolution possible in the first place.
"Political attitudes and attitudes are often inherited and passed on," Schneider told the newspapers of the editorial network Germany (RND).
As evidence of the lack of experience in negotiating democratic compromises, the East Commissioner cited the lower number of party members compared to West Germany - "or when I'm looking for a mayor in a district".
Different course than predecessor Wanderwitz
Born in Thuringia, he demanded »that young people in particular dare to broaden their view of the world«.
At the same time, Schneider made it clear that he did not share the approach of his predecessor Marco Wanderwitz (CDU), who had often attacked the AfD and its East German voters head-on.
"You have to say clearly what is," said Schneider.
"But the impression must not be given that people are being given up or insulted." This also applies to the current demonstrations.
“For many, taking to the streets is their central political expression – rather than voting,” said Schneider.
Right-wing extremists tried to exploit this.
»Violence and threats must not be used as a means.
Everyone needs to know that.” But the majority of “simple demonstrators are not extremists.” In his Erfurt – Weimar – Weimarer Land II constituency, 85 percent of the citizens voted for democratic parties, said Schneider.
fek/dpa/AFP