Kevin Kühnert sharply criticizes the drastic action taken by climate activists. From the point of view of the SPD general secretary, the activities are not compatible with the democratic rules of the game. Despite the harsh criticism, he admits that politicians have failed.
SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert sees climate activists as being too rigorous and has condemned this. “What fundamentally bothers me is the absolutism with which the climate activists proceed – according to the motto: What are democratic rules of the game against what we stand up for and what we want to defend?” said Kühnert in an interview published on Sunday by the ” Time” (Online).
“Anyone who argues in this way consequently considers attacks on democratic parties, on critical infrastructure, and perhaps also on people’s health, to be legitimate. That’s the end for me.”
At the same time, the climate movement is very diverse and has a very important concern. “And after I’ve sat on the streets every few months for half my life to block Nazi marches, I don’t want to keep pointing the pedagogical index finger at random people and pillorying civil disobedience per se,” said Kühnert. “Because of course we are still too sluggish when it comes to meeting our climate goals.”
In recent months, the “Last Generation” group has repeatedly blocked roads, attacked works of art or temporarily paralyzed the capital’s BER airport in Berlin. For the new week, the group has announced further and increased disruptive actions.
The head of the CSU deputy in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, had warned of the emergence of a “climate RAF”. Kühnert said: “A rhetorical outbidding competition à la Klima-RAF will not get us any further.” In his words, everyone should return to the political discourse. “This also includes, as an activist, recognizing that you are clearly not doing your cause a favor if you repeatedly act in areas that are highly relevant to security.”
