The German state elections have attracted an exceptional amount of attention because they are bringing about a historic change, with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party pushing the long-standing party of power, the Christian Democrats (CDU), into the ranks of the minor parties.
We got a preview of this a couple of weeks ago, and more is coming this weekend in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The main source of dissatisfaction is Germany’s immigration policy, which is transforming the entire society in a radical way.
In addition to immigration policy, many other things are changing in Germany because the AfD also has other policy positions that differ from those of the CDU and the Social Democrats, with whom it has shared power. Examples include the party’s policies on the euro, Russia, and climate change, all of which differ from the views of the political establishment in Berlin and also from those of most other European leaders.
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As a result, coverage of the AfD’s success in the Finnish media has at times resembled disaster reporting (example, another). At the same time, it has been forgotten that the German political transformation is about nothing more and nothing less than a democracy functioning exemplary well, in which change follows from the political elite pursuing policies against the will of the people. In other words, from allowing the mass migration of people from developing countries that has radically transformed German society.
At the same time, the political transformation in Germany’s states demonstrates the beauty of democracy because it forces a reluctant elite to accept the will of the people. This would not be possible in pseudo-democracies such as Russia or China, but in Germany, popular government appears to be working.
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That is why we Finns—and our media as well—should also praise and celebrate the functioning of German democracy. At the same time, we should encourage Finns to use the power granted to us by the Constitution.
According to it, “state power in Finland belongs to the people.” And we will have the opportunity to exercise that power next time on April 18 next year.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Lessons from the Abdul Ballout Case
The Forgotten Empire That Shaped Modern Europe
Shock in Berlin: AfD Surges, Merz Stumbles
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