The pandemic has changed biographies. Also that of the virologist Streeck, who was not always without controversy. Now he has written a book – and is running for the Bundestag. How is this related?
When Hendrik Streeck wants to make a phone call in peace, he leaves his virological institute on the Venusberg high above Bonn and heads to the Kottenforst. This is a very attractive forest that spreads out directly behind the university hospital grounds. The prominent virologist currently has a lot to talk about, as he is planning nothing less than entering federal politics. In Konrad Adenauer’s former constituency in Bonn, he will run for the CDU in the federal election in a year’s time.
For a long time it was not known that he had a party register. “When Armin Laschet appointed me to the expert council, I told him that I was a CDU member,” he tells the German Press Agency. However, the former Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia advised him not to make this public. “That was very wise of him,” says Streeck. “Because otherwise there would have been another level. Something like this: “CDU virologist criticizes Merkel”.”
During the Corona period, the Berlin virologist Christian Drosten, who was often stylized as Streeck’s opponent, had the Chancellor’s ear: Drosten was considered strict on Corona issues, while Streeck was considered to be a representative of a laissez-faire attitude, according to the exaggeration. This brought him heavy criticism, including from ZDF satirist Jan Böhmermann.
He suspects that there will be criticism
The 47-year-old doctor has just followed up on the matter with a book. Title: “Aftershocks”. Again, he suspects, this won’t go away without controversy: “There will definitely be someone who picks out individual quotes and criticizes them. Or says that I didn’t give enough credit to a particular study. There will be attacks and they are a symptom of the problem entire debate about Corona.” He also hesitated for a long time about writing another book about the pandemic, which many citizens have long since forgotten. But Streeck thinks it has to be done. “I repeatedly campaigned for awareness for two or three years, but nothing came of it.”
In the Kottenforst, Streeck now turns off at a fork in the road: “If we go to the left, we’ll come to the deer.” This is how it’s done.
In a way, Streeck is also at a fork in the road. If he is elected next year, he would have to temporarily hang up his doctor’s coat. Many now asked him why he wanted to do this to himself. His answer: “From my point of view, this step is a logical and emotional consequence of the past few years. A consequence of the fact that different opinions were not heard and the concerns and needs of the population were not understood. I see that as such my motivation to go into politics.”
You can probably interpret it like this: Because he had the feeling that he wasn’t being heard during the Corona period, he now wants to take control himself.
“There are envious people and supporters alike”
Will he be able to do that? His prominence could be an advantage in the election campaign, says party researcher Karl-Rudolf Korte: “For voters, the candidate lives from the projection surface: We think we know him – that has many advantages on the voter market, especially since he appears fresh in the political scene , that makes you even more curious.” But it is difficult to judge whether he will prevail within the party. “There are envious people and supporters alike,” Korte tells dpa.
In front of the enclosure, Streeck is a bit at a loss – there is no trace of the animals in sight. “There’s even a white deer here. Where is it?” asks the virologist. But only one jogger trots past, panting.
The move to Berlin would – if it succeeds at all – also be a risk. Streeck would – to stay with the metaphor – with his vita also be a kind of white deer, an oddball. He doesn’t deny that. He suspects that he could of course also be viewed critically within the party. Because he didn’t go through the typical ox tour through the Junge Union.
His impression is that people treat him completely differently now. Inhibitions about speaking to him have disappeared: he is no longer the professor, but the candidate who wants to get into the Bundestag. “Now he has to talk to me, he needs my voice” – that is the attitude now.
Suddenly the deer are still there, even the white one. Streeck kneels down in the grass and tempts with wild food. The animals hesitantly slurp the crumbs from his hand. You can find it disgusting, but you don’t have to.
“My basic profession is a doctor,” he says. He wanted to help people. Now this drive has become political. But he also says: “I don’t plan on staying in the Bundestag my whole life.”
Although some have said that. And Konrad Adenauer was a member of the Bundestag for a long time. Until his death.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
