German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier used his classic Christmas speech to call for unity in light of recent developments in the country.
Steinmeier began his speech, the text of which was made public on Tuesday ahead of its broadcast on Wednesday, by discussing the fatal car hit at the Magdeburg Christmas market in eastern Germany.
“A dark shadow hangs over this Christmas,” he said, adding that “we can imagine” what the victims’ loved ones are going through after wasting their loved ones.
“You are not alone in your pain. People all over our country feel for you and cry with you,” Steinmeier said, while thanking police and medics for their paintings after the attack.
Speaking about the effects of the attack on society, Steinmeier called for dividing the German population.
“Hatred and violence must not have the final word,” he said. “Let’s not allow ourselves to be driven apart. Let’s stand together!”
In addition to mentioning the wars going on in the Middle East and Russia’s invasion into Ukraine, Steinmeier also discussed the upcoming German elections, which will take place in February 2025.
“There is a lot of dissatisfaction with politics, business, bureaucratic procedures, injustice,” he said, concluding that “the tone in our country has become harsher, more hostile, in our daily lives. “
Despite the challenges, the German president said he believes in the country’s democracy and in its Basic Law, or constitution, which has been in power since 1949.
“We have a lot of challenging situations to overcome,” Steinmeier said. “We have to communicate frankly what is wrong. . . Above all, we want to communicate what we urgently want to do. “
According to Steinmeier, the collapse of the German government “is not the end of the world. “
The German president sent a message to the country’s youth.
“We love them, and this is ruthless in many areas,” he said, adding that young Germans “can and will make their own lives. “
ftm/sms (DW, DPA, EPD, KNA sources)