New Year's speeches 2026: Politicians call for more dialogue and cohesion!

New Year's speeches 2026: Politicians call for more dialogue and cohesion!

Today, January 2, 2026, several politicians in Germany are optimistic about the future, despite the challenges facing society. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and various prime ministers gave New Year's speeches in which they emphasized solidarity and confidence. Some federal states in particular are facing elections, which will shape the political discourse in the coming months, such as World reported.

In his speech, the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Markus Söder, called for confidence and, despite all the crises, sees opportunities in the coming year. He addresses the pressure for peace, freedom and democracy and portrays Bavaria as a strong country with equally strong people. Boris Rhein, the Prime Minister of Hesse, feels the same way, calling for more dialogue and diversity of opinion. Rhein criticizes the harsh tone in discussions and wants a new culture of debate that promotes openness and tolerance. He highlights Germany's innovative strength and commitment. The Prime Minister of Brandenburg, Dietmar Woidke, also pointed out the economic challenges in his speech and emphasized the fight for competitive energy prices, while presenting Brandenburg as a region of the future.

Challenges and perspectives

Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff of Saxony-Anhalt sees the year 2026 as groundbreaking for his federal state. He emphasizes the importance of social cohesion and respect and calls on citizens to actively participate in shaping the future. In his speech, Michael Kretschmer from Saxony encourages people to show fearlessness and reflect on their own strengths. According to Kretschmer, trust is the basis for good cooperation.

The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Alexander Schweitzer, also calls for confidence and cohesion and emphasizes the commitment of citizens. In Saarland, Anke Rehlinger addresses the concerns of the population and the fight for better conditions in economically difficult times. In Berlin too, Kai Wegner addresses citizens' concerns about rents and security and announces measures to improve living conditions.

The call for voter participation

In his New Year's address, Chancellor Olaf Scholz underlined the importance of solidarity in difficult times and called on citizens to take part in the upcoming elections, especially the federal election on February 23, 2025. He warns against allowing oneself to be guided by external influences, especially via social media, and addresses the dangers that arise from extremist opinions. Scholz also commented on Germany's economic situation and emphasized that the world's third largest economy - despite difficult times - can continue to hope for positive development. He also highlights the impressive number of employees that have ever existed in Germany's history.

Scholz's address begins with a remembrance of the victims of the attack in Magdeburg, which once again underlines the urgency of social cohesion. He makes it clear that rumors and misinformation are harmful and can divide the country daily news reported.

The appeal not to allow ourselves to be divided apart is considered particularly important in these challenging times. Scholz's speech reflected the reality that Germany is in an economic recession and the path will not be easy for a long time. Nevertheless, politicians' optimism in supporting civil society includes the hope that the challenges can be overcome as a community Daily Mirror reported.