Before state elections - Trade president warns of success of extremist parties
Handwerk President Jörg Dittrich warned against the results of extremist parties in elections. "The manipulation of societal fears is extremely dangerous from an economic and business perspective, as we have built our prosperity on compromises," Dittrich told the German Press Agency. "However, if resentments are fueled and backward-looking issues are brought to the forefront, we should be concerned. As a nation that lives off openness, this not only applies to the necessary immigration in Eastern Germany, but also to the value of a strong Euro, which has brought us prosperity."
The President of the German Crafts Association continued: "The concern is that people believe we can turn things back. Instead, we must move forward and not fall back. In this context, I see the upcoming elections: Will we manage to convince people to participate in positive changes? Or will populists win who offer simple answers that don't solve real problems but only fan the flames?"
Elections for the state parliaments in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg are scheduled for September. Surveys suggest that the right-wing populist AfD could be the strongest party, and difficult coalition negotiations are threatened.
Handwerk President sees fears of decline
Dittrich stated that he perceives a strong fear of decline in society. "Our prosperity seems threatened. At the same time, there is a strong resistance to change, as each societal group says, 'Nothing should change for us.' These seemingly contradictory poles – fear of decline and desire for preservation and stability – must be taken into account and combined."
The solution is certainly not to turn things back - "but rather to keep turning them. Because if we want to hold on to our prosperity, we will only be able to do so under the new conditions if we move and change as well. Future prosperity only exists through changes and transformations. I don't see this narrative and understanding enough in the political sphere. On the contrary: Politics is reluctant to tackle the big issues and keeps reassuring us that everything will remain as it was." As a major issue, Dittrich mentioned a fundamental reform of the social insurance systems.
Eastern Germany as a crucible
Eastern Germany is like a "crucible," Dittrich, who comes from Dresden, said. "The people there have made an enormous transformative effort, which was a very great strength-building effort for those who experienced it. This has not happened in this dimension in the West. One says, 'It's hard to feel the pain of others.' But one should at least try to imagine what a deep rupture, the collapse of an entire social system and an economy, represents: The vast majority of people in the East had to find a new job."
Hundreds of thousands had left because there was no economic perspective. "And now it's already being said again: 'We must quickly adapt to the transformation in the climate issue.' That is again a rupture and an effort that hits the society hard."
"It doesn't help to look back"
Politics must find solutions for people's concerns, emphasized Dittrich, mentioning the demographic change and the skilled labor shortage. It is clear, however, that "looking back, either in the East or in the West, is not helpful. Instead, we need to discuss how we want to live in the future. I can clearly see that most people want to keep the lives they have worked for."
To achieve this, changes need to be actively addressed, Dittrich continued. "This includes openness to the world and the influx of specialized and labor forces that join us. Productivity growth alone is not large enough to fill the gap created by demographic change. It is not enough to rely on the fact that we can solve all of this with Artificial Intelligence."
Politics does not take the concerns of the people seriously enough, according to Dittrich. "This is reflected in the election results. Many citizens feel unrepresented and left behind. There is a lack of the ability to present a clear plan to the people, showing where the journey can go. This lack of orientation leads to uncertainty and disappointment, while the pressing questions of our time remain unanswered."
- Handwerk President Jörg Dittrich expressed concern about the potential electoral success of extremist parties, stating that the manipulation of societal fears is dangerous from an economic perspective, especially in the upcoming state elections in Saxony, Thuringia, and Brandenburg.
- In East Germany, where societal fears of decline are strong, Dittrich sees a significant resistance to change, despite the inevitable necessity of adaptation to new conditions for the preservation of prosperity.
- The President of the German Crafts Association highlighted the fear of relegation in society, citing the potential victory of the right-wing populist AfD in the state elections as a cause for concern, leading to difficult coalition negotiations.
- In Berlin, Dittrich urged politics to find solutions for people's concerns, such as demographic change and skilled labor shortage, emphasizing that looking back is not helpful and instead focusing on the future is essential for addressing these challenges.
- As a key issue, Dittrich proposed a fundamental reform of the social insurance systems, acknowledging the need for openness to the world and the influx of specialized and labor forces to address demographic challenges and achieve future prosperity.
- In the past, East Germany, with its enormous transformative effort, has shown the strength of its people in adapting to significant changes, and Dittrich urged politicians to learn from this experience and tackle the challenges of the present with similar resilience and determination.
