In Saxony, people regularly take to the streets to protest against the corona measures taken by the federal and state government.

In the FAZ Podcast for Germany, the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) speaks under the impression of these demonstrations and the so-called "walks" in his country about East Germans as the big winners of reunification - and the difficulty of remaining in conversation with corona deniers:

Simon Strauss

Editor in the features section.

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“Unfortunately, trying to present the situation differently with arguments often tends to solidify the opinion.

That is why you have to be honest: you will not reach a certain part of the population.

But we as politicians must not be the ones who give up people, ”says Kretschmer in the conversation.

"Such a great, also ethical and moral good"

For the protests in his country, however, the Prime Minister shows no understanding: “The fact that the hospitals are overloaded, that people are dying and that these protective measures are taken so that they do not die, that is so high, also ethical and moral It is good that you cannot demonstrate against it - at least if you are not directly affected. I would understand if people took to the streets and shouted, “We need more vaccine! We need more medication! ”. That would be a reason. To be against protective measures that save human lives is not. "

In the podcast for Germany, Michael Kretschmer blames social media such as Telegram for the outbreak of the protests in his country and pleads for stricter state regulation: “There is so much fake news and very deliberate disinformation circulating on the Internet and in social media - they'll fix you huge damage. I believe that we have to intervene more regulative there because, in my opinion, this is a threat to democracy. "

In addition, Kretschmer justified his positive attitude towards Russia in the conversation despite the latest developments: “We can't get any further with sanctions, we have to talk to each other. Russia belongs back to the negotiating table, only there things can be settled. It is such a large country with its own agenda, with its own dynamic that cannot be influenced from outside. I am firmly convinced that more can only be achieved through dialogue, working together, including economic negotiations than through confrontation "

Regarding the renewal of conservatism in Germany, he refers to the contribution of the East German mentality: “I believe that the people in the new federal states can contribute something.

The experiences from the 30 years of building, not being full, also worrying that successes can be lost again, that we recognize what the market economy has brought us - that is the superior system compared to socialism and dictatorship.

Building on this, I want to build a good program for the CDU in Germany, with which we will stand in the next federal election. "

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