The Federal President delivers a speech to the nation. What has been said is not wrong. But Steinmeier colossally missed the great opportunity to convey a stirring message.
As in Angela Merkel’s time, under Olaf Scholz from the Chancellery, the Germans are massively undersupplied with big speeches. That opens the door for others, for example the Federal President. Frank-Walter Steinmeier tried to go through this open door today with a lot of running up and accompanying music. It should be a big, explanatory, rousing, groundbreaking and emotional speech. And that was probably the problem.
Steinmeier spoke a lot about the new “headwind” that the country and its people would now have to face as a result of the Russian attack on Ukraine. For his speech, on the other hand, the Federal President will not face much opposition. That’s not necessarily a good sign: the powerful core that pulls you in was missing. Honesty was not lacking, but clarity and specifics about what is most important for the next few years in Germany and what should give the insecure people courage and purpose. A new defensiveness in all areas? A new cohesion between the groups and generations and East and West Germany? Or rather the fight against climate change, without which “everything is nothing”, as the Federal President said?
Unfortunately, that won’t be enough
So what does a completely normal person take with them, who looks anxiously into the future and cannot foresee what is going to change: that things are getting more serious than they have been for a long time, that at the same time the matter is by no means hopeless and everyone has to do their part. Unfortunately, that won’t be enough for people to say: I see things more clearly now. Now I draw new courage. Or even just: Now I understand why the government is so costly against Russia front.
Frank Walter Steinmeier had his strongest moments when he drastically condemned Russia’s attack and classified it as what it is: “evil” and the end of many German certainties and comforts. This finding cannot be repeated often enough, because word hasn’t really gotten around yet: the great upheaval won’t be over after the coming winter.
The old life from before the war will not return for a long time. The state cannot do that, no matter how much debt, and that is why people should not demand it every time. The linguistic borrowing that Steinmeier made at this point from a historic speech by John F. Kennedy was very difficult. But his honesty of limitations and renunciations honor the Federal President, even if he has not redeemed his claim to a great and lasting speech.