Following the controversial vote in the Bundestag on the immigration bill, the center-left parties were quick to condemn Friedrich Merz. In the following days, hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets to protest. Do the events of the past few days really mark a turning point in the election campaign? In his opinion piece for the Guardian, Florian Ranft analyses what is needed for a change of course.
[The German centre-left] is often seen as protecting the status quo rather than challenging it. It is missing a forward-looking narrative on what the future may hold for society and the economy. Going after the enemies of democracy will only add to the sense that we have entered an age of anxiety. Successful election campaigns are never won by looking back, but always by looking to the future.
–Florian Ranft, Mitglied der Geschäftsleitung und Leiter | Green New Deal, Das Progressive Zentrum
The article was published on 11.01.2025 in The Guardian.
