Democracy needs you! Discussion about the rise of the AfD in the Hunsrück

Democracy needs you! Discussion about the rise of the AfD in the Hunsrück

The political landscape in the Hunsrück is shaking, and not without reason! On November 14, 2025, a panel discussion under the motto “Democracy needs you” will take place in Blankenrath. From 6 p.m., high-profile guests will speak about the threats to our democracy, especially with regard to the right-wing populist electoral successes that the AfD celebrated in seven municipalities in the Hunsrück in the federal election in February 2025. Rhein-Zeitung reports that in Blankenrath the AfD became the strongest force with 38.4% of the vote, followed by similar results in Moritzheim (34.3%) and Schauren (36.4%).

The patron of the event is Hendrik Hering, President of the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament. An interesting group has gathered, including Luis Caballero, a well-known sociologist, and Gabi Kothe from “Grandmas Against the Right”. Willi Müller-Schulte from the Protestant parish of Mosel/Hunsrück and Lisa Pfeil, the co-founder of “Show Attitude”, will also contribute their views. The discussion will be moderated by Birgit Pielen, who will lead the event. This platform could be an important step in sensitizing a broader public to the challenges of democracy and discussing possible solutions.

Other interesting events in Blankenrath

But that's not all! On November 18th at 2 p.m. the author Inge Arenz will read from her book “A Childhood in the Eifel”. This is sure to attract many interested people who want to find out more about the region. On November 20th, 60 IGS Zell students will present their results in an exhibition as part of a project. There will be very special entertainment for the little ones on November 22nd at 3 p.m., when the play “King Alfonso the Thirty-Fourth” by Bille Billewitz will be performed.

By November 29th at the latest, the lecture “Silence is not neutral” by Nicola Rosendahl and Markus Pflüger will be a topic of conversation. The series of events is rounded off with the final event “Democracy makes you feel good” on November 28th. The cabaret artist Ruth Schiffer and the acoustic band Juneina Mayday were on board for this, which should ensure a lively evening. This series is supplemented by the exhibition “Right Wing – In the Middle”, which is open daily from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. from November 14th to 28th and was designed in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Criticism of political developments

Paying attention to the threats to democracy is particularly important in light of current developments. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the AfD is classified as a “secure right-wing extremist effort”. This represents a challenge for democratic culture, and the upcoming discussion in Blankenrath could provide a decisive impetus to shed light on and hopefully defuse this issue.

While social debates intensify, technical developments do not stand still. For example, Google's new AI chatbot Gemini is a hot topic. TechRadar reports that Gemini can be helpful not only in web searches but also in image generation. It offers different versions for different needs. Users can connect with the chatbot through a conversational format and even get real-time information. But be careful: the answers are not always accurate, and users should be aware of the limitations of this AI.

This combination of social challenges and technological innovations shows how important it is to actively participate in political events and to critically question the direction in which our society is developing. The call to participate in the panel discussion is therefore not just a simple appeal, but an invitation to actively participate. Because as the saying goes? Democracy needs you!