ZDF “plain text”
A huge basket for Alice Weidel on Valentine’s Day: “Not with you!”
If Olaf Scholz speaks past questions, Habeck does not get to the point, Alice Weidel is toxic against the audience and Merz drives her over her mouth: Then ZDF is “plain text”.
“Thanks for the question,” says Olaf Scholz. Says Robert Habeck. Says Alice Weidel. And Friedrich Merz also thanks himself. The four Chancellor candidates of the SPD, Greens, AfD and Union are on Thursday evening at “Clar Text” on ZDF, the questions of citizens have to arise. And apparently they all like it, because they thank almost every question for them.
But seriously: the four don’t just do it. Such a format, this is the opportunity to show yourself to the citizen, the ear of the viewers’ worries; not only to make content of content, to appear to the audience sympathetic. This has succeeded in all candidates for the chancellor, the candidate for chancellor.
Olaf Scholz acts as usual.
In succession, all four have to ask questions from around 120 spectators in the studio and the moderators Bettina Schausten and Christian Sievers. First Scholz, then Habeck, then Weidel, then Merz.
The reigning chancellor remains true to his style: he often speaks past the questions and only becomes more specific when asked. When a woman from Solingen describes her fears, he escapes into the phrase: “I don’t go to the agenda in any such act”, and then, as so often, speaks of more deportations, the already agreed reform of the European asylum system and data protection, who must not stand in the way.
Its main points: the country needs a rental price brake, the industry has to become climate -neutral and remain strong, its government has already done a lot in migration policy.
Robert Habeck, on the other hand, talks. And talk. And talk. The format plays its strengths: it takes time for detailed answers, shows understanding, admits errors. In the heating law, for example, he admits: “If I had known what effects it had, we might have done it differently.” There is applause from the audience, the questioner thanks Habeck: admit such a mistake, the point of showing.
Sometimes the moderators have to slow down the economic minister in his speech: “Sit shortly, the others also want to go.” Something symbol: A viewer wants to know why he should still choose. Habeck talks, for a very long time, about responsibility and democracy and much more. In the end, the viewer doesn’t look much more convincing than before.
Habeck’s main points: In the economy, a perfect storm of energy prices and export markets has brewed together, internal security is also an important point for the Greens, the minimum wage should rise to 15 euros.
Alice Weidel Major audience
At Alice Weidel, the mood tilts noticeably. The AfD boss is first asked about the attack in Munich: “With an AfD government, the man would not be here at all”. The AfD chair is confronted with the audience several times. A questioner accuses her of not listening to her, having learned his questions by heart. If the man who does nursing homes would pay more wages, he would not have a shortage of skilled workers. The otherwise self -confident weid is sometimes uncomfortable in direct confrontation with the citizens.
Her main points: a “welcome culture” for qualified immigrants, preventing illegal migration and the abolition of subsidies for renewable energies.
Friedrich Merz meets Weidel at the beginning of his part, who has just ended her question and answer session: she wants to nail him that he would coalize with the Greens, and black-blue would also be an option. Merz gives her a removal: “We only made one decision firmly: not with them!” Then he delivers a factual dispute with an entrepreneur about details of the heating law, a coalition excludes with the AfD. He expects a significant speech by the American delegation at the Munich Security Conference, and he becomes unusually thoughtful when it comes to taurus deliveries: “I sleep well in the evening, but with this question I don’t go to sleep for a long time.”
His main points: The turn of the times at the weekend at the Munich Security Conference will be visible again, no cooperation with the AfD, a warning: the problems of the country would have to be solved in the next legislature.
What is new? Actually nothing. The program shows once again who stands for and where the differences are. For political nerds there are the little moments between the appearances-for example when Scholz and Habeck greet each other in a friendly manner (“We also like ourselves”) or Merz vehemently excludes a coalition with the AfD. For the general public, the show offers the opportunity to experience the candidates in direct citizen contact.
In the end, only one big question remains: in the run -up to the show, it was often called “Quadrell”. But the four candidates came one after the other, did not quadrilize themselves at all. Maybe on the eve of Valentine’s Day it was more political speed dating.
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.
