Anyone who still perceives this election campaign as devoid of content cannot be helped.

Hardly a day goes by on which the candidates for chancellor do not have to answer questions, explain programs, establish connections and, for a moment, save the world.

It is then mostly the journalists who complain about too little content, but only ask those questions who apparently find it boring and prefer to deal with tactics, fouls and flaws.

Jasper von Altenbockum

Responsible editor for domestic politics.

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Because that's more entertaining?

Sat.1 has now invented a format that is supposed to combine entertainment with content.

From all over Germany, the broadcaster put together a school class that was supposed to punch Annalena Baerbock, Armin Laschet and Olaf Scholz in the classroom one after the other (“Can the Chancellery?”).

What came out of it was a lot of fun.

Apparently the three guests thought so too.

They obviously felt good, and not just because of the cameras watching them.

But did it also say something about their suitability for chancellor?

Better informed than adults

Not only were questions asked, but games had to be played and puzzles had to be solved. Olaf Scholz was allowed to show with a trowel what makes him freak out or keeps him cool. It goes without saying that it supposedly freaks him out that there are no children's rights in the Basic Law. It would not have done well if he had pointed out Article 1 and the fundamental rights of the constitution, which of course also give children rights. When asked about Wirecard, the trowel “I stay cool” went upstairs. Do his state secretaries see it that way too?

Laschet had to declare “conservative” and “liberal” on the blackboard. Latin lesson. He then immediately included “Christian-social” in the line-up to round off the CDU. Most of the children were satisfied, even after Olaf Scholz had declared the “global minimum tax” (Scholz still has to practice a bit when drawing). This was not only due to the explanatory skills of the two men, but also to the fact that the children were better informed than some adults.

Annalena Baerbock called all the children by name. Plus point. You learn that she fell from the apple tree as a child and broke her arm. That's just how it is: you try something; if it goes wrong, take the thicker branch next time. Hopefully Germany will be on the thicker branch when she becomes Chancellor, one thinks, but Baerbock was probably thinking more about the branches of her candidacy. In the classroom, too, she was primarily the climate candidate for chancellor.

Was it a hidden message that in the end Laschet was given the Chancellery as a motif for a puzzle? Scholz was happy about a pair of socks, or better said: had to be happy about socks. In any case, he took it with humor, which played a not entirely unimportant role in this program. The children got at least as much of it as the three candidates, who came across as a bit more human than in the many adult programs. Laschet got his money's worth: the children asked him if he could call Angela Merkel quickly. “I never just call her,” Laschet had to admit, first of all he asked via SMS if and when it was appropriate. But Jens! He'll just give him a call now! And Jens Spahn really answered it.