Democrats in the upper chamber are advocating for a tangible democracy that improves living standards
On a Saturday at the Altenberg Center, approximately 70 members of Oberhausen's SPD gathered for a democracy workshop titled "Less Democracy to Dare?". The event, initiated by SPD board members Nagihan Erdas and Karl-Heinz Müller, aimed to discuss right-wing extremism and democracy-endangering trends.
The workshop delved into the findings of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's study "The Distanced Center" (Das distanzierte Mitte). According to this study, right-wing extremist and democracy-endangering attitudes are on the rise in Germany.
Professor Dr. Beate Küpper, whose research focuses on the spread of right-wing extremist, anti-human, and anti-democratic attitudes, presented an overview of the study's results. Key findings include a significant erosion of democratic values, the growth of right-wing populist attitudes, rejection of diversity and inclusion, prevalence of conspiratorial and anti-elitist views, and support for authoritarian measures.
Helge Lindh, a member of the German Bundestag from Wuppertal, also spoke at the event. Lindh, who has been actively fighting against right-wing extremist and racist activities for many years, highlighted the anti-democratic consequences of current political statements by right-wing parties.
The event kicked off with keynote speeches from Professor Dr. Beate Küpper and Helge Lindh, followed by an open discussion. The discussion was supported by Oberhausen's Democracy Office and focused on questions such as when a "right-wing" worldview begins, the importance of showing stance, and potential points of contact in discussions.
Dirk Vöpel, SPD leader, praised the 14-member working group for their contribution to the event's success. Prominent guests included Professor Dr. Beate Küpper and Helge Lindh.
While the event did not solve the problems at hand, it encouraged further work on the topic. The local branch stands for strong democracy and fights intensively for it, concluded Erdas and Müller. The workshop underscored the importance of continued efforts to strengthen democratic education, social cohesion, and address the grievances that fuel such attitudes.
- The workshop at the Altenberg Center discussed the rise of right-wing extremist and democracy-endangering attitudes in Germany, as presented in the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's study, "The Distanced Center" (Das distanzierte Mitte).
- Key findings of the study include a significant erosion of democratic values, growth of right-wing populist attitudes, rejection of diversity and inclusion, prevalence of conspiratorial and anti-elitist views, and support for authoritarian measures.
- Helge Lindh, a member of the German Bundestag, emphasized the anti-democratic consequences of current political statements by right-wing parties.
- The event concluded with a call for continued efforts to strengthen democratic education, social cohesion, and to address the grievances that fuel such attitudes, reinforcing the local branch's commitment to a strong democracy.
