CSU General Secretary Markus Blume calls the SPD a "riot party" in the "death zone".

SPD chairman Saskia Esken accuses CDU health minister Jens Spahn of an “inhumane attitude”.

Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer senses a “right-wing propaganda war” and the media headlines: “Dirty election campaign”.

Do we have to worry about democracy?

“I'm left there.

Such statements are examples of prudence and politeness in the Israeli election campaigns.

People there are used to portraying opposing candidates in SS uniforms or as Hitler fans.

In election advertising, private photos of children who were murdered in terrorist attacks are published.

Ultra-Orthodox parties put rabbis in front of the camera who threaten: If you don't vote for us, you will be punished by God.

In his first election campaign against Shimon Peres in 1996, Netanyahu portrayed his opponents as traitors and spread the rumor that Peres' mother was an Arab. "

We have a different understanding of politics

“I can go one better.

When elections are in Pakistan, deadly attacks on election offices and party conferences are the norm.

In the penultimate election campaign, the son of former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was kidnapped.

Disparaging statements and the spread of rumors are more like the version of a soft election campaign. "

Last week we sat with friends whose migrant backgrounds are connected to Afghanistan, the USA and Sudan, and smiled at the “so blatant” election campaign.

We thought about who is most likely to appeal to us in current politics.

First we talked about our parents' ideas.

Because many of them are Merkel fans.

“My mother thinks Angela Merkel is great - not just because she celebrates women in high political offices. She was also impressed that Merkel did not want to move into the chancellor's apartment. She is fascinated by her confident and level-headed manner, combined with a subtle style of clothing. She is happy about every New Years address. "

Before that, the majority of our parents were Schröder fans.

And before that Kohl fans - the incumbent government is respected.

Humility and respect for the state and politics are part of the self-image of many members of this generation.

Our age group has a different understanding of politics.

We observe that people like us rarely make it into politics.

Many who grew up here have not found access to political junior groups such as Jusos, Young Union or Green Youth.

And not just because we often had no right to vote.

I don't like the role of the exotic

“A friend of mine took me to a meeting of his political group ages ago. In addition to the thick cloud of smoke, I was particularly annoyed by the special habitus of the young people - almost all of whom came from academic or political families and were know-it-alls. I didn't feel like taking on the role of the exotic. "

“In Israel I was active in political groups.

We met with Palestinians, or we fought with right-wing youth in election campaigns.

In Germany I found a political group that focused on international issues.

Crises in the world were discussed once a week.

Then we went to the pub.

Once when they were talking about Israel / Palestine, I realized how unrealistic they were.

Maybe I withdrew a little prematurely, in any case I quickly lost interest. "

Only five out of 335 mayors

People with a migration background make up a quarter of the German population - but how many are represented in politics? Only five out of 335 mayors in Germany have a migration background. Of the 709 members of the Bundestag, 58 currently have a migration background. What does the category actually mean? As a person with a migration background, you or at least one parent was born with a non-German nationality - according to the official definition. The statistics do not differentiate whether the migration background is related to Switzerland, Austria, Tanzania or Iran. It makes a difference. It has been empirically proven that migrants (and their descendants) from the global south have less political and social participation.How much experience of discrimination has the non-party mayor Claus Ruhe Madsen in Rostock, who is a Danish citizen? Or Christian Alexander von Stetten (CDU), who was statistically recorded by his Swiss mother as a member of the Bundestag with a migration background? He is the descendant of a Franconian noble family that has lived between the Kocher and Jagst rivers since 1098. Maybe we should deal with the discrimination against nobles!Maybe we should deal with the discrimination against nobles!Maybe we should deal with the discrimination against nobles!