Gauck: Climate protesters are strategically totally wrong

Created: 12/15/2022, 5:55 p.m

Joachim Gauck, former Federal President, speaks at an event.

© Georg Wendt/dpa/archive image

Former Federal President Joachim Gauck has "understanding" for the climate protection group Last Generation and its goals, but criticizes its approach.

He could "under certain circumstances tolerate road blockades," he said in a new episode of the podcast "CL +" published by FDP chairman Christian Lindner on Thursday.

"But as a permanent institution, I find it totally strategically wrong, for example, to choose a form of protest that angers the majority of citizens against the protesters and thus possibly against their concerns.

Berlin - And that's how it is in this case."

Gauck stressed that for him the opportunity to protest was essential for a free society.

"When it comes to forms of protest that clearly point to a neglected topic, I also understand that."

The "last generation" has been demonstrating almost every day for almost a year for a radical climate change - with blockades on streets where activists stick themselves to the roadway, but also in museums, football stadiums, ministries and on the runways of airports.

For better climate protection, the group is calling for a speed limit of 100 km/h on motorways, a nine-euro ticket and a general move away from fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal.

Gauck predicted that this form of protest would quickly be put into perspective.

"It's just modern now, it's hype.

They come up all the time.

If the journalists weren't always present, that would be done relatively quickly.” There are plenty of other forms of protest.

If the demonstrators have committed administrative offenses or even criminal offenses, they should also be punished.

"If you start not to deal with an administrative offence, then a culture develops where it is doubtful what the order is." Then the impression arises that the law is variable, warned Gauck.

“Then the law-abiding in a population dwindles.

And the law-abiding German population that we have is a great value.”

Lindner said about the blockade actions: "I think that's extremely dangerous." The next step is to put democracy into perspective.

"It's a form of self-empowerment and self-aggrandizement," criticized the FDP leader and federal finance minister.

“There is a group that has a legitimate concern.

Agreed.

But there are other legitimate concerns as well.

And this group says: My concern is first of all the most important.

And we know what we want.” If you continue that, you will end up with an “almost authoritarian model of society”.

dpa