The universities in eastern Germany have developed a great international appeal, attracting many students from all over the world who can take Master's programmes in English there. Examples include the renowned Willy Brandt School of Public Policy in Erfurt and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg , with its World Heritage Studies and Renewable Energies degree programmes. Over fifteen years, the number of international students has quadrupled in Thuringia and almost doubled in the other federal states. Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are the federal states with the highest proportion of international students.
Against this backdrop, KAAD and Görres Gesellschaft organised a webinar on the political situation in eastern Germany to provide information and exchange ideas. More than 35 people attended the webinar.
Thomas Arnold mainly described the situation in the Free State of Saxony, which has been going through a phase of political uncertainty since the state elections on 1 September 2024. That means that Saxony is heading towards a phase of political uncertainty.
Nevertheless, Thomas Arnold did not keep it to analysing the politics of the day. However, he drew a wide arc to the causes of the growing dissatisfaction of the population and the political crisis. He stated that party loyalty in eastern Germany was very low overall, resulting in a certain volatility. This was particularly evident given the strong performance of extreme parties in the elections. The voters of these parties had to be won back to the democratic centre, and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) had to be confronted and argued with.
Thomas Arnold used several examples to explain that more than thirty years after reunification, the differences between East and West are playing an increasingly important role. Saxony, for example, has been the state most affected by demographic change in Germany since the 1990s due to massive emigration. The remaining population tends to perpetuate the demographic problem, he argues. The East-West differences, which are also evident in the popularity of current publications (Dirk Oschmann: Der Osten: eine westdeutsche Erfindung; Steffen Mau: Ungleich vereint; Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk: Freiheitsschock), are reinforced by the deep mistrust of state institutions, which has grown significantly during the coronavirus pandemic.
’ must become the central question.’ said Thomas Arnold.
Another contribution to the discussion focussed on coming to terms with the coronavirus pandemic and called for establishing a committee of enquiry. However , Thomas Arnold warned against trying to come to terms with the coronavirus pandemic in the form of a ‘tribunal’, as this would ultimately be detrimental to social cohesion.
’, Thomas Arnold summarised that the mechanisms of democracy in eastern Germany are working but that our society does not shape itself but must be shaped, especially in the pre-political sphere. All social actors, and ultimately all people are called upon to do this.
Thomas Arnold called for people in eastern and western Germany to develop a shared horizon for their country.
Dr Thomas Arnold
Dr Nora Kalbarczyk
Professor Eberhard Tiefensee
