On September 14, Abdelkarim confronted party politicians with real problems. In an interview, he reveals what he thinks of the election campaign.
Comedian Abdelkarim Zemhoute (39) confronts politicians with real problems for German citizens in two episodes on “Endlich Klartext” (on September 14 and 21 at 11:50 and 23:45 on RTLzwei). This time Ricarda Lang (27, Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen), Kevin Kühnert (32, SPD), Jana Schimke (42, CDU), Katja Kipping (43, Die Linke), Johannes Vogel (39, FDP) and Karsten Hilse (56, AfD) ask citizens’ questions. Even before the 2017 federal election, Abdelkarim confronted political representatives of the parties with a wide variety of situations. With Jens Spahn (41, CDU) he visited an Afghan refugee, with Leif-Erik Holm (51, AfD) he spent an afternoon with a homosexual couple with children.
Before the upcoming federal election on September 26th, the topics that are currently on the minds of the people are to be dealt with: climate policy, the energy transition and financial emergencies. The comedian remains persistent and demands clear answers, which is not always easy with one or the other politician. “I have to admit that some politicians are very good at digressing and distracting,” says Abdelkarim. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, he reveals what he would like to ask the chancellor candidates and why no one has won the chancellor triumph for him.
In “Endlich Klartext” you confront politicians with the real problems of German citizens. What do you want to achieve at the end of the show?
Abdelkarim: Our goal is to get politicians out of their usual working environment and to bring them to where “real life” takes place. We meet people who have to live with the decisions made by politics. The politicians don’t know beforehand where it’s going, but they still have to face the questions.
Which topics will you focus on this time?
Abdelkarim: We deal with topics that concern people, for example the energy transition, climate change or why are there so many people in a country like Germany who have to get by with too little money. We do not have abstract conversations. It is always specifically about how politics affects everyday life.
What do you do when a politician digresses from your question?
Abdelkarim: Then I’ll just follow up. I have to admit that some politicians are very good at digressing and distraction. But at the latest with the people we met, political diversions were doomed to fail. We met people who all wanted to take the opportunity to get first-hand answers to their questions. They could not be fobbed off with empty phrases. But most of our politicians also wanted to take the chance to really listen.
Are there certain limits with certain people that you would not exceed?
Abdelkarim: I didn’t think about it and in retrospect it wasn’t necessary. No matter how passionate the discussion was and how different the opinions were, it remained largely factual. Sure, it got a bit louder here and there, but I never had the impression that a limit was crossed.
Which reaction or statement of a politician in “Endlich Klartext” has stuck in your head?
Abdelkarim: I can’t think of one statement now. However, politicians have often had to realize that no matter how well intended political goals are, in everyday life they often lead to unjust results. In addition, everyone involved has noticed that democracy can also be exhausting. You have to talk to each other, discuss and weigh up. Only then can you approach the ideal solution step by step.
Who do you think won the Chancellor Triell?
Abdelkarim: For me there was no winner, but nobody lost either. I thought the triell was like warming up before the decisive fight. In my opinion, everyone was on the road with the handbrake on. Nobody wanted to be peeked into the cards. Who knows, maybe they have a lot fewer cards with them than we think.
If you had the chance: what would you confront the candidates for chancellor with?
Abdelkarim: I would ask why the election campaign is so much about banalities. There have certainly been tougher and more unfair election campaigns in the past, but in my opinion this year’s election campaign deals too often with trivial trivialities that say nothing about the ability to become a chancellor.
The big topics of the year are Corona, Afghanistan, climate change and digitization. What can the politicians of the individual parties be prepared for in your broadcast?
Abdelkarim: At “Endlich Klartext”, politicians will meet people who feel and have to pay for the consequences of political decisions in their everyday lives. And these people are very happy to finally meet a direct contact person.
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
