Germany in the era of the lowered voices: Who still dares to talk?

Germany in the era of the lowered voices: Who still dares to talk?

In a current article, the concerned situation of freedom of expression in Germany is discussed. According to a survey, only 40 percent of those surveyed believe that they could freely express their political opinion, which indicates increasing pressure to conformity in the media and politics. The focus is on the strengthening of the alternative for Germany (AfD), which is considered an example of the integration of popular opinions into the political system. The occasion are the upcoming state elections in Saxony, Brandenburg and Thuringia, which are concerned with the discussion about dealing with populist movements.

The reactions to the AfD that are not corresponding to the democratic principle show a “double failure of democracy”. Established parties try to combat increasing competition through exclusion, which helps that populist currents gain strength. The misinformation and strategy of companies such as Edeka, which accommodate political messages in their advertisements, is particularly striking. This means that many citizens secretly choose populist parties out of fear of social isolation, which continues to polarize the political landscape in Germany. There is more information about this here .