Statement by Mayor Barbara Ludwig on the Chancellor's visit to Chemnitz
Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig: "We are experiencing polarisation at all levels of society, throughout the entire republic. What happened in Chemnitz has even put the German government to the test.
It is too early to say whether Angela Merkel's visit today will be more than a gesture and whether it will be of support to our city. The decisive factor is whether the Chancellor can make a contribution to showing that Chemnitz is different from the impression that has been widely conveyed in recent weeks. Chemnitz is a safe, liveable, international city. That's what the facts say. Nevertheless, the feeling of many people here is currently different, as is the image of many people elsewhere.
As Mayor of Chemnitz, it is my job to organise and strengthen cohesion in the city. Mrs Merkel has this responsibility at federal level. Many things are decided at federal level. We see the concrete effects of these decisions in the cities. People experience them in their everyday lives.
I am convinced that we have to go to the people and explain our actions if we don't want to lose them - or lose them even more. We have been doing this at residents' meetings for twelve years, for example. The Prime Minister of Saxony meets people at citizens' dialogues. The federal government should also do this regularly. The consequences of the almost three years of speechlessness to date are most evident when it comes to integration. All too often, the debate is left to those who instrumentalise fears or actual problems.
More dialogue is also needed on other issues that visibly divide our society. This is time-consuming and exhausting. But it is necessary if we want to stay in dialogue as a society and ensure cohesion in our country.
If the Chancellor and her federal ministers regularly engage in direct dialogue with citizens at open regional conferences and listen to them, they could not only communicate their decisions better, but also take away valuable information.
If we want to stop the polarisation of our society, we need to take the fuel out of it, solve problems and counter insecurities. The success of integration is ultimately decided in everyday life together. I have presented a seven-point plan that tackles the tasks in concrete terms. I expect everyone to play their part in finding a solution."