Similar platitudes are already known from Merkel

When Joschka Fischer retired from politics in 2005, he let the world know that the last rock’n’roller in German politics was leaving the stage with him. What comes after him is all just playback.

But the times are different than at the beginning of the Merkel era, rock’n’roll is still there and even wins the ESC. And with 98.5 percent, the Greens choose a woman as a candidate for chancellor, even if she has pimped out her CV, not reported additional income and has broken a gasoline price increase debate off the fence through rhetorical inability.

Baerbock’s faulty CV

No one’s been talking about fischer for a long time. Annalena Baerbock is “the woman of the future”, cheered Federal Managing Director Michael Kellner at the federal delegate meeting, shortly before the 40-year-old was then sent by her people in almost Schulzscher dimension in the election campaign.

In her acceptance speech, Baerbock acted as if the first green K-candidate of all time wanted to prove with all her might how wrong everyone who doubted her was: the evil media, the political opponents, veteran Fischer. So that the glory days of the Greens are just beginning. That she can cook, not just waitress. That it has what it takes to renew Germany after 16 years of ambition-free status quo administration.

Did she succeed in this most difficult speech of her career so far?

Speared twice when the microphone was still on

At least she herself was obviously not satisfied. Twice in a row, Baerbock apparently made the beginner’s mistake of already talking after the end of her speech, when the microphone stuck to the lapel was still on.

The first time she wanted to say “thank you” at the side of Robert Habeck for the good election result, but at first the technology failed; the actually so glorious moment turned into an embarrassing blunder. When she disappeared backstage shortly afterwards, she was heard excitedly squealing that she “didn’t make a sound on the microphone”.

But more embarrassing was the end of her 40-minute speech: When Baerbock walked back to her seat under the cheers of the 100 new members specially summoned for this purpose and came across Robert Habeck on the way, who joined her, a loud “shit” could be heard, and the swearing sounded very much like the voice of Baerbock. Only immediately after that the sound was gone.

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What she may have been annoyed about? About how many times she promised herself, how many times she stumbled while reading her speech? At one point, Baerbock even had to start all over again, because she had made a mistake that she even had to laugh about herself: “The attacks of today are mainly digital. And the liberal enemies, inside and out, know how to use this in a targeted manner. What used to be …“

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At that moment Baerbock interrupted himself, giggled briefly and raised from the beginning: “The enemies of liberal democracy, inside and outside, know how to use this purposefully.“

Some things have already been heard from Merkel

Before the Green Party congress has often been written, before Baerbock lie probably the most important and most difficult speech of her career so far. The party’s poll numbers in freefall, the credibility of the federal chairmen tarnished: Annalena Baerbock was under enormous pressure. Not only did it have to fend off overly forceful requests from grassroots Greens on the left, but it also had to prove that it was indeed the right party to win the chancellorship for the Greens.

This speech has not been completely unsuccessful, but really good is also different. The Causa résumé she tried to clear right at the beginning: With the extremely meager admission that there had been” headwinds “after” we and above all I made mistakes that I was angry about”. That there was solidarity from all sides, even from co-party leader Robert Habeck, “that gave strength”. That settled the matter.

After that, Baerbock, using manuscript and teleprompter, set off on a tour of pretty much every policy field she or her speechwriters could think of. Whether Europe or transatlantic alliances, whether minimum wage or internal security, whether social justice or education: Everything was mentioned somehow and at some point.

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Just not always necessarily understandable or too platitudinous. The fact that” our future lies in Europe ” and that people should enjoy the same rights regardless of their religion, gender and origin has already been heard from Angela Merkel.

As Minister of Family Affairs, she would be suitable – but also to more?

The candidate for Chancellor was only really good where her own experience was at stake-as a mother, for example. When she talks about children whose rights have been neglected or overlooked in Corona management. When she talks about her mother, who had been considered weak in learning as a primary school child, but later completed a degree in social education at the advanced age of 37.

Then you notice Annalena Baerbock commitment, empathy and enthusiasm. At many other points in her speech, however, the question arose as to which working group had probably provided the party with the template.

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Baerbock, according to the impression after 40 minutes of speech, would make an excellent family minister. However, they themselves and their party consider them to be more.

It will become clear how many voters will be convinced in the next 106 days that Baerbock can play rock’n’roll and not just playback.

“Machtwechsel” is the WORLD podcast on the Bundestag election – with Dagmar Rosenfeld and Robin Alexander. Every Wednesday. Subscribe to it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer or via RSS Feed, among others.

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