Left-leaning Prime Minister - Ramelow comments on AfD's election victory: "East has no need for apology"
The impressive triumph of AfD in the eastern part of Germany during the European elections has sparked discussions regarding the relationships between east and west Germans. Bodo Ramelow, the Thuringia's Minister President, cautioned against an ever-widening gulf on Tuesday. On the other hand, Hendrik Wüst, the North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister President, urged for initiatives that could promote more communication, especially among the young generations.
Ramelow opined while speaking to Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) that he had witnessed sentences like, "Where is the gratitude of the East Germans?" in social media after the European elections. He deemed such comments unnecessary at this juncture. He added that East Germans shouldn't be apologizing but viewed as an opportunity rather. Emotional unity, he continued, was breaking down, and expecting gratitude from East Germans was just exacerbating the situation.
The AfD secured the second position, with an estimated 15.9% official results as the strongest force after the Union in the European elections. The party attained its finest outcome in the eastern German states' elections for the European Parliament. The newly established BSW party, spearheaded by the newly established Wagenknecht, finished in the third spot in the east.
With Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg all set for state elections in September, Ramelow remarked, "The ground is challenging." Nevertheless, state elections are individual contests. And as a rule, these have been detrimental effects for AfD.
Wüst pushed for a remodeling of the relationship between eastern and western Germany following the vote results. "It's time for a Reunification 2.0 Treaty, a document that not only recognizes unification but also strengthens the bonds between east and west," Wüst addressed the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
Wüst advocates for a fresh start
In concrete terms, the objective is to "agree on a series of projects - for instance, fostering stronger links between young people from east and west." Wüst stressed: "Exchange fosters trust and offers prospects for greater understanding among ourselves."
The Minister President also suggested reinvigorating the Round Table, as was the case during the reunification era. "At that time, people with vastly different views gathered with an objective of jointly working towards a more democratic future. Presently, viewing society from a western perspective, Wüst laments, "I am reminiscing about the open approach to one another in dialogue-sitting across a table, rather than engaging in a confrontation from a distance."
The CDU politician believes that those in North Rhine-Westphalia should shoulder the responsibility. "Residents of North Rhine-Westphalia know each other better in Mallorca than in Saxony or Thuringia," lamented Wüst. He feels that "many people from North Rhine-Westphalia have never visited the - no longer new - east."
