“Klartext” in free translation means “pure conversations” and that was the title of the television “interrogation”, which were submitted last night by the second channel of German television (ZDF) four candidates for the Grand House of Representatives. Original broadcast format, where the “wooden reason”, however, managed to pierce it frequently in the studio. Standing with no paper and analogy appeared in a row the Chancellor Thanf Salt (SPD)Green Robert Habek, Alice Weidel from the far -right alternative to Germany (AfD) and Christian Democrat Friedrich Mertz (CDU).

Each candidate had 30 minutes to answer citizens’ questions and the question was precisely the immediacy and clarity in the answers. That is, there was no direct confrontation between the four, except for a short “social encounters”, when one ended and the next one came.

The issues were many, with the emphasis mainly on aspects of the economy (accuracy, unemployment, housing, energy) and politicians to seek to look as comfortable and honest as they can. How “clearly” the present in the studio and millions of viewers were what they said, but also who could eventually win the impressions of a process that lasted more than two hours is difficult to verify, at least before Sunday 23 February .

Saltz doesn’t put it down

As expected, the discussion was overshadowed by the incident of a 24 -year -old Afghan attack against a peaceful march a few hours earlier in the Munich. Chancellor Saltz once again promised a faster and more effective expulsion process for those who cannot guarantee the right to asylum. He defended the political system as a whole, answering a question about corruption and once again stressed that he was determined to continue the work he has achieved in the last three years, despite steadily negative polls.

Among the unfulfilled promises of what he did not do was for the construction of hundreds of thousands of “affordable” houses, something that the Social Democrat politician again attributed to the launch of war costs. With a promise of environmentally friendly technologies, but not threatening the competitiveness of the economy, he answered the question of a young man about climate policy -backs, but also to the automotive trade unionist, who expressed anxiety about his work. .

“I’m not just playing for victory. I want to win, otherwise I wouldn’t be here tonight and I know there are many still undecided, so the battle will be judged on February 23, “said Olf Saltz.

Habek as a fan of compromises

The Greens Candidate first found a citizen who was wondering if he was worth voting. “Democracy is not a sport for spectators, people have to participate in the elections. The frustration you mention is the last thing we need as a country, “Robert Habek replied. He expressed his concern about polarization, which affects the quality of democracy, making it more difficult to find compromises that are necessary in a multi -party system.

Asked about her difficulties Commerzbank facing the risk of aggressive acquisition by Italy, he expressed the hope of remaining in German hands. He was openly opposed to the obsession with debt brake, which may not leave debt on paper, but leaves many other issues for future generations. Finally, he acknowledged that the sudden abolition of electric subsidy was incorrect and had devastating consequences for the sector.

The most difficult time for Habek was when a older member of his party wondered “where are the peace authorities now?” Greens in relation to their attitude in Ukraine. He replied that the goal remains an international class of peace, but it can only occur by war means, without seem to be necessarily persuaded by his “partner”.

Weidel and Georgian nurse

“With our own government, there would be no incidents like that of Munich,” said Alice Widel from the AFD, starting its placement. She said she has nothing to do with smart and capable strangers who pay taxes and live legally in the country, while expressing her … admiration for a Georgian nurse who speaks “so well German” after two years in Germany, which is under “tolerance” before expulsion, after her asylum application has been rejected.

He was, however, crammed by a worker in the field of elderly care, who pointed out to her that the welfare system would collapse without immigrants. The topic of discussion was also the opposition of her party to the Renewable Energy Sources (RES). The presence of the AfD candidate, however, was the one that caused the most “lively” reactions from attendees in the studio. Leaving, he met Friedrich Mertz and reiterated that he was stretching his hand to the Christian Democrats for cooperation.

Mertz sees a world of controversy

The latter, due to his commitments, CDU candidate Friedrich Mertz, who said ignorant of a proposal for a cooperation with the AfD, which would be rejected anyway. “I constantly hear from AfD that he wants to destroy us and of course this is something we will resist.” It was, however, a rather embarrassing moment for the conservative politician, who avoided answering Videl about whether he would prefer the Greens to partners. Mertz reiterated the argument that the previous government was the one who with its policy led to doubling the rates of the far -right. Asked by a citizen with Italian roots, she spoke positively about Georgia Meloni, emphasizing her pro -Europeanism and her attitude to Ukrainian, to show the difference with Weidel.

The head of the Christian Democracy, referring to infrastructure problems in the country, such as the rail network, was in favor of a model of partial privatization with the separation of train and train services, a model that will be associated with the shrinkage of the network. He avoided clarifying whether he would revise the debt brake as a Chancellor to finance overall infrastructure projects that have been in the country for decades.

Finally, he warned of the cosmic consequences from the brutal change of US cruise in the Ukrainian, which, he said, would also be expressed by Jay Di Vance at the Munich Conference, asking Chancellor Saltz to take care of a strong European response. . It was a dramatic warning that certainly has a basis, but with the ease that gives him the fact that he still has no government responsibility and under the heresy that in a pre -election period there are always “things that are said but not done”.