Wolfram Weimer's Take on Politics and Culture
Democratic Socialists and Green Party significantly closer to each other than the Alternative for Germany (AfD)
In a candid chat with Bascha Mika in "Die Zeit," Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer (Cabinet of Friedrich Merz, CDU) expressed concerns about the rising tide of authoritarianism and nationalism among world powers. Weimer, a seasoned journalist turned politician, pointed a finger at China, Russia, India, and the USA as the main offenders, stating that freedom spaces are under attack in these countries more than ever before, a scenario he finds alarming[1].
Weimer emphasized that Democrats honor the power of argument, believing that the other side may hold valid points. Conversely, anti-democrats embrace resentment, which he sees as a significant divide[2]. The minister, based in the Chancellery, has been advocating for more unity in Germany's political center. He admits to feeling a closer bond with Social Democrats and the Greens when encountering the audacity and latent aggression showcased by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Bundestag[2].
With tensions rising globally, Weimer believes that differences among political parties in the German center should be neglected in light of the significant threat posed by the encroaching authoritarianism. Weimer has previously served as editor-in-chief for "Welt," "Cicero," and "Focus," as well as a publicist, and is the author of numerous books, often criticized for his neoliberal right-conservative ideologies[3]. On June 1, 2025, Weimer delivered a keynote speech at the Order Pour le Mérite for Science and the Arts event in Berlin, where he warned about a global "culture war" eroding the independence of science and arts, threatening intellectual and cultural freedoms worldwide[1].
[1] Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)[2] Source: "Die Zeit" (No. 25/2025 of June 12)[3] Source: Various
Weimer's concerns echo the global rise of neo-nationalist ideologies and the growing hostility towards Enlightenment values such as individual liberty, progress, tolerance, and constitutional government, posing a threat to intellectual and cultural freedoms worldwide.
In the context of Wolfram Weimer's views on politics and culture, his concerns mirror the global increase of neo-nationalist ideologies, threatening intellectual and cultural freedoms worldwide, amidst issues of war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and general-news. Weimer advocates for unity in Germany's political center, recognizing the divide between those who honor the power of argument (democrats) and those who embrace resentment (anti-democrats), predominantly expressed in countries like China, Russia, India, and the USA.
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