Politics in transition: Lang and Mau warn of threats to democracy!

Politics in transition: Lang and Mau warn of threats to democracy!

On November 3, 2025, the Göttingen Literature Autumn ended with an impressive event in the Sartorius Quarter. Welcomed by an interested audience, Ricarda Lang, the former party leader of the Green Party and member of the Bundestag, and Steffen Mau, the new director of the Göttingen Max Planck Institute, presented their joint book “The Great Upheaval”. In this lively discussion, the two experts tackled burning political issues that are of great importance to many of us.

The book primarily addresses the ability of democracy to survive at a time when right-wing populism is gaining support worldwide. The pressure from autocratic systems poses a serious threat to liberal democracies, as Lang and Mau discussed in detail. What was particularly exciting was that Mau presented the book not as a mere theory, but as a transcription of more than 17 hours of audio material, which made the dialogue between the two actors all the more lively.

The pressure from populists

The dangers posed by the rise of right-wing parties such as the AfD in Germany and similar movements in other countries have been clearly highlighted. Mau explained that the rise of figures like Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen are not just isolated cases, but part of a larger trend that threatens democratic principles at both institutional and cultural levels. “We need to understand the deeper meaning of these developments,” emphasized Lang.

The lecture also highlighted the role of online media and so-called “outrage journalism”. This form of reporting influences public debate and contributes to citizens' uncertainty, which is particularly worrying today. “Less trust in politics is a big problem,” says Lang, “since democratic decisions are often slower than the impulsive reactions that autocratic systems offer.”

Citizen participation as a solution?

A central plea in the discussion was the call for more citizen participation. Mau called for citizens to be included in the political process not just as spectators but as active participants. Citizens' councils could be a good way to regain trust in democracy. “The state must act as a social problem solver,” he explained, while Lang confirmed that local politics played a key role in strengthening citizens’ trust in political institutions.

• Wachsendes Vertrauen in Populismus: Die Umfrageinstitute sehen bereits eine stabile Wählerschaft für die AfD, trotz des Wettbewerbs durch das Bündnis von Sahra Wagenknecht.
• Normalisierung des Rechtspopulismus: Ein Trend, der sich sowohl in Deutschland als auch international beobachten lässt, ist die Verschiebung politischer Normen zur Akzeptanz populistischer Diskurse.
• Migration als zentrales Thema: Hierbei zeigt sich besonders deutlich die Normalisierung der populistischen Rhetorik, die in vielen europäischen Ländern zu beobachten ist.

In summary, it can be said that the Göttingen Literary Autumn was not only a literary festival, but also an important space for addressing fundamental questions of our democracy. In times when populism and authoritarian tendencies are increasingly seeking attention, it remains crucial to keep the dialogue open and promote exchange between citizens and politicians.

The challenges are great, but with the right approach, as described in “The Great Shift,” it is possible to strengthen democracy and keep it alive for everyone. As Ricarda Lang concluded: “We can leave out the defense and instead proactively seek what our society really needs.”