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Angela Merkel commentary on German political extremism

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2026-11-07 01:14 UTC → 2026-11-07 02:21 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed growing concern regarding political extremism and social polarization within Germany. In an initial interview, she noted that extremist movements are gaining strength while political moderation is diminishing. She addressed the electoral success of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Left party, suggesting the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) must act as a bridge between diverse societal groups rather than merely reacting to the AfD. During a speech in Leipzig at the International Mendelssohn Prize ceremony, Merkel warned against populist attempts to divide society. She criticized political forces that attempt to create hierarchies among citizens by inciting hatred or envy based on origin or length of citizenship. She asserted the democratic principle that all power stems from the people, stating that “the people are all German citizens,” regardless of whether they originate from the former GDR or were recently naturalized from countries such as Syria. In ~~a subsequent appearance in~~ Berlin, marking the 50th anniversary of singer-songwriter Wolf Biermann being stripped of his GDR citizenship, Merkel described Germany as a unified but ~~divided~~ “excited and ~~agitated~~ torn” nation. She warned that democracy is more vulnerable than previously thought and requires more than just free elections. ~~Merkel~~ Drawing a parallel between the historical struggle against the SED dictatorship and contemporary needs, she called for the active commitment of citizens to defend values such as human dignity, the separation of powers, judicial and press independence, freedom of expression, and the protection of minorities.

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