Lanz gets upset with "Last Generation" spokeswoman Rochel: "That's ridiculous!"

Created: 11/10/2022 10:08 am

Markus Lanz and his guests on November 9th, 2022.

© ZDF Mediathek (Screenshot)

Midterms in the USA and the climate dispute: In the discussion about new forms of protest by climate activists, emotions are running high in the “Markus Lanz” group.

Hamburg – The “Markus Lanz” group looks at the midterms in the USA on Wednesday evening at the beginning of the show.

At the time of recording, the majorities were still not certain, which is why Elmar Theveßen Lanz, who joined in from Washington, can only answer in the subjunctive.

Should Republicans form the majority, US President Joe Biden can be expected to launch a major aid package for Ukraine before Christmas, before possibly losing support from the Capitol in the new year.

Although the "Trumpists" did not get the result they wanted, explains Theveßen, the division in the United States continues to deepen.

In particular, narrow results for the Democrats would be received emotionally by Republicans, which would result in the risk of violent riots.

Theveßen does not believe that President Biden will stand for re-election in two years, the pressure within the Democrats to implement a generational change is too great.

Midterms in the USA – Trittin also reprimands DeSantis at “Lanz”: “Deeply racist program”

Germany's former Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin (Greens), on the other hand, believes that Biden could run again if Trump runs again.

"You have to look the truth in the eye," says Trittin.

“What Trump and DeSantis stand for, despite the support of Latinos in Florida, is white male supremacy.

This is a deeply racist program."

On the other hand, there is a diverse America that has now fought back in the election.

journalist Eva Quadbeck fears that if Trump is re-elected in 2024, the US could abandon Ukraine in its struggle with Russia

.

Trittin contradicts: The question of the national security strategy has not yet been conclusively answered by the Republicans.

Host Lanz points out that the Democrats were also debating the extent of support for Ukraine.

That's why Trittin says: "We have to adapt to a situation where we, as Europeans, have to take on more responsibility."

"Markus Lanz" - these were his guests on November 9th

• Jürgen Trittin (Greens)

  – politician

• Eva Quadbeck

  – journalist

• Carla Rochel

  – climate activist

• Elmar Thevessen

  – journalist

“Assuming more responsibility” also applies to other areas, such as climate protection, says Trittin.

Should Trump be elected, the United States would no longer fulfill its commitments to climate protection agreements.

Talkmaster Lanz intervenes and asks Trittin if he thinks it is possible that the USA will split in two and that there will be a civil war.

Trittin's answer is not directly reassuring: The Green replies that he is "undecided" and "reluctant".

On the one hand, he did not think it possible that an attempted coup like the one on January 6, 2021 could take place “in the cradle of democracy”, but on the other hand he was aware of the democratic strengths of the country.

Lanz draws a provocative link to the "Last Generation" activist

CarlaRochel.

He puts his guest in line with the attackers on the Capitol - after all, both groups claim to be fighting in the service of a great cause.

Rochel reports that she has already spent several nights in police cells.

"It's not nice," she says, explaining her motivation: "We take to the streets because we simply can no longer stand the injustice of the climate catastrophe and because we are about to lose everything."

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"Last generation" at "Markus Lanz" - spokeswoman Rochel makes demands, Lanz almost bursts the collar

The government's response to the years-long protests by Fridays For Future was an unconstitutional climate package, says Rochel, adding: "The Basic Law is simply being dragged through the dirt.

At that point I understood that it was no longer enough to take to the streets with colorful signs, it was simply ignored.” At the end of January she stuck herself on a Berlin Autobahn for the first time, together with people of all ages.

"I also understand that it's bizarre," says Rochel.

The purpose of sticking it on, however, is to prolong the action.

Carla Rochel (climate activist) guest at "Markus Lanz".

© ZDF Mediathek (Screenshot)

"What do you demand, what is it that you want?" asks talk show host Lanz Rochel.

She answers without thinking: "We want a sign from the federal government that she has understood what this climate catastrophe means." Lanz is not enough, he asks for specific measures.

Rochel mentions the continuation of the nine-euro ticket that expired in September and a speed limit on German autobahns: "If these two requirements are met, we'll get off the road." The host is stunned: "Seriously?!

Is that what you're sticking for?"

Markus Lanz raises serious allegations against adhesive activists: "They are blackmailing the country"

Everyone knows, Rochel explains, that "that's not all".

Society needs to be restructured, but we don't want to continue to see even simple things not being implemented.

"You're blackmailing the country, you realize that?"

Rochel doesn't let the accusation sit on him.

It cannot be blackmail because the activists are not making the demands to their advantage.

"That's not what it's about," Lanz disagrees, but Rochel insists on her point: "Yes, that's what blackmail is about.

It's also about violence.

If you look at the legal definition of it, it's associated with evil or violence.

But we sit there peacefully on the street.”

Lanz smiles at the activist's reasoning and confronts her with polls that state that 80 percent of the population reject the actions of the "last generation".

This doesn't impress Rochel: "No protest movement was popular at the beginning."

She points to Trittin as a positive example, who has managed to march through the institutions in order to make a meaningful contribution to society.

Rochel replies that there are two to three years left to prevent the climate catastrophe - and therefore not enough time to become active as a politician.

Markus Lanz declares the demands of the "last generation" to be "ridiculous"

Trittin only joins the discussion when the host asks him to do so.

Civil disobedience was at the beginning of every political movement, explains the former environment minister and agrees with Rochel that the time window is "very narrow" to reach the 1.5 degree target.

He wants to protect Fridays For Future, because their pressure has led to changes in Berlin and made the 200 billion climate package possible.

That's not enough for Rochel, Fridays For Future have contributed to making the climate protection issue big and activists like Luisa Neubauer are present in the media, but: "What good does it do us if we only talk about it and nothing is decided?"

Lanz is still at operating temperature and accuses Rochel of talking about the apocalypse and ignoring the government's efforts: "When it comes to the big picture, we're not talking about a nine-euro ticket, that's ridiculous!" Also Trittin contradicts the finding that "nothing" happened.

Electricity generation in Germany is already 50 percent decarbonized, and the goal is to reach 100 percent by 2030.

If you convert that into CO2 tons, the savings would be much greater than if you asked for a nine-euro ticket or the speed limit.

Rochel points to the United Nations, which recently stated that no country in the world is doing enough to adequately deal with climate change.

"Last generation": Jürgen Trittin on "Markus Lanz" - "We also had to accept setbacks"

The fact that Rochel also defended the actions in which mashed potatoes and tomato sauce were thrown at works of art infuriated talkmaster Lanz again: "That's a van Gogh!

That's not just anything!” Rochel and Trittin point out that the painting was protected by a pane of glass and remained undamaged.

The action alliance had researched this in advance because it was not in its interest to destroy art.

Lanz then complained that the actions would still entail security measures that ensure "that people have to stand further away from the pictures".

Rochel's answer as to why the actions are still right is rather pathetic: "Because all this art will then no longer be worth anything.

Because she will sink in the floods.

When my children won't have a chance to stand in the museum anymore because they have to fight over food.” Trittin tries to calm the atmosphere.

Social change cannot be achieved with individual actions, and his generation also had to accept painful setbacks.

“We tried to occupy sites to prevent nuclear power plants from being built.

They have been built and are operational.

Back then we had to be laughed at because we said that you can also produce electricity with wind turbines.

Today, this is an industry that employs people in Germany in the six-figure range.

This is happening all over the world today, but it has taken over 20 years.”

"Markus Lanz" - The conclusion of the show

At "Markus Lanz" on Wednesday evening, a heated discussion ensues between climate activist Carla Rochel, talk show host Markus Lanz, former Green Minister Jürgen Trittin and journalist Eva Quadbeck.

It should be noted that Lanz in particular is upset by the actions of the "last generation".

Rochel is not doing herself any favors in the debate by not naming any specific demands other than the continuation of the nine-euro ticket and a speed limit on motorways.

Trittin defends the activists against comparisons with terrorists, but criticizes that the implementation of Rochel's demands can only have symbolic character.