Former German Bundestag President Warns Of Climate Activism’s “Anti-Democratic Affection”, “Debate Rigorism”

You really know that climate activism is going way off the rails when even a leading German socialist thinks the movement is becoming a threat to democracy. Leading German socialist politician Wolfgang Thierse warns of Greta Thunberg’s “anti-democratic”, uncompromising rhetoric.

Hat-tip Die kalte Sonne

“Anti-democratic affection”

Over the years a number of leading climate scientists and activists have expressed to some degree their frustration with democracy, hinting that the political system which incorporates the will of the common people in government has only gotten in the way of taking action against the “climate crisis”. What is needed, they suggest, is an elite group of Leaders to decide how to properly organize society. The average citizen is too stupid to make the right decisions.

Even some socialists are beginning to worry about the movement. For example German online flagship daily Die Welt here recently reported on how leading SPD politician, former President of the German Bundestag, Wolfgang Thierse sees in the words of climate activist Greta Thunberg an “anti-democratic affection” and thus he “warns against the climate movement”.

“Rigorism in climate debate”

Die Welt writes how Thierse also “warns against rigorism in the climate debate” and statements made by climate activist Greta Thunberg such as “that the climate does not tolerate compromises”.

Thierse made the comments to the Berlin “Tagesspiegel” in a video interview.

In Thierse’s view, such statements are “anti-democratic” and urges climate activists to take former German Chancellor Willy Brandt as an example when it comes to convincing the public on policy.

Young people don’t see the complexity

Thierse is not alone. Last month well-known nature filmmaker David Attenborough also told WELT: “The young climate activists see things in black and white, very clearly. They don’t yet know all the buts…”

In other words, the youth are being manipulated.

Attenborough added: “Maybe the young people don’t see the complexity of the problems to be solved and how to deal with them in a reasonable democratic way. Bringing the whole population along democratically is a big problem.”

German political scientist says climate movement like a religion

Also in a recent interview with German DLF here, political scientist Ulrike Ackermann said: “Rescuing the climate is almost like a religion.”  She warned: “It is of no use to paint the world catastrophe on the wall in an alarmism that can only be countered radically.”