German election results bring uncertainty for Christians
A demonstrator holds a poster of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) chairman, Friedrich Merz at a rally in Berlin, Germany. Photo canva.com, EPA, Filip Singer
Christian Life
Germany elected a new parliament on 23 February. This election was very special, with many saying it was a turning point in German politics.
This was not only because it was an early election following the collapse of the old government but also because, for the first time, there was and is a powerful, radical right-wing protest party.
The results have also raised pressing questions for Christians. They reflect a divided society looking for answers to global crises, internal polarisation, and the loss of common values. The Eastern part of Germany—the former communist part—voted for this right-wing protest party. This is the area of Germany with the fewest Christians, too.
The good news was that voter turnout was 82.5 per cent. This is the highest since the reunification in 1990 and shows that the population has a strong interest in shaping politics. Many, like the Catholic Bishop of Limburg, Georg Bätzing, saw this as a good sign for the country, indicating that democracy is being taken seriously.
Concern
Another striking aspect of the result is that the "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) was voted the second strongest party (20.8 per cent). Parts of this party are radical right-wing or even neo-Nazi: leading representatives trivialise the crimes of the Hitler era. It is Russia-friendly and xenophobic and wants to expel foreigners from Germany. But for many voters, it is, above all, a protest party.
The current Chair of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Kirsten Fehrs, criticised the AfD as a threat to minority rights and democracy but warned against social division.
Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt, Bishop of the North Church, expressed clear concern about directly elected AfD MPs: "I am very concerned that candidates have been elected whose positions divide our society and marginalise people."
Although the AfD has committed itself to "Christian occidental culture" in its platform, the party lacks a fundamental foundation of values. There is no reference to God, and Christianity is reduced to cultural heritage. There are hardly any people among the leading figures known to be Christians.
At the same time, however, the Protestant people's church EKD wants to take the concerns of voters who no longer feel represented by established parties seriously. "Christian politics must promote social cohesion and counteract all divisive tendencies," warns the association of Protestant regional churches.
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) won just 28.6 per cent of votes – its second-worst result in history. Although the CDU/CSU remains committed to the "Christian image of man," many Christians were appalled when, shortly before the election, it accepted that votes were only sought with the help of the AfD and against the votes of the other democratic parties. Rarely have the two major churches protested as strongly as on this occasion.
Significant challenges
Conservative Christians have also criticised the fact that life protection issues have taken a back seat in the CDU/CSU. The Social Democrats (SPD), previously the strongest party in government, suffered a drastic drop in votes (16.4 per cent, the worst result in history).
The Greens, who were also in government, fell to 11.6 per cent. From a Christian perspective, their stance on pro-life issues, gender policy, and attempts to limit religious influence in the education system remains problematic.
No sooner had the election been counted than the drastic change of policy in the United States of America also caused a stir in Germany. In an effort to strengthen themselves, the democratic parties succeeded in anchoring an unprecedented level of debt in the German constitution to bring defence spending and Germany's neglected infrastructure up to modern standards.
As much as this has met with great approval in Germany as a matter of state policy, Christians have also expressed concern as to whether this is not being done at the expense of the younger generation.
Therefore, the presumably future Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz faces significant challenges not only politically but also because of taking on debt running counter to his election promises before polling day.
It can be easily explained regarding the political situation, but credibility is a valuable asset, especially for Christians. And this has now suffered. Result: in the opinion polls, the number of supporters of the AfD protest party continues to rise.
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