The Union promotes more patriotism: can that work?

The CDU/CSU parliamentary group wants to “strengthen the constitution and patriotism as a connecting bond” and “upgrade the Basic Law Day on May 23 as a day of remembrance”. But will the party succeed? Three experts explain this to us. All episodes of “3 on 1” can be found here.

The Union operates symbolic politics

Maria Fiedler is deputy director in the capital city office of the daily mirror and observes the Union. She says: The application from the CDU and CSU falls short – it still contains an important point.

The idea made headlines: the Union faction called for a “federal program of patriotism”. She wants to increase the visibility of the flag in public spaces and ensure that the national anthem can be sung more often on official occasions. With this, the CDU and CSU want to counteract the polarization in the country and also address “foreigners living in this country”. It was said that the topic was not left to the “margins of society”.

With the application, the Union is obviously about symbolic politics – about keeping yourself attractive to conservative voters. But the application falls short. It is doubtful whether the flag and anthem alone promote positive patriotic feelings.

Nevertheless, the Union makes a point: A positive relationship to one’s own country can help people to get involved in the common good. Common values ​​and a shared narrative can help Germany integrate new citizens. It would be worth discussing what modern patriotism for an immigration country might look like.

The Kikeriki of Germany love

Andreas Püttmann is a conservative publicist and political scientist. He says: If a C party discovers patriotism as a blockbuster, it can end up as a non-starter.

The best patriotism is the one you have without talking about it all the time. You live it practically: through citizen loyalty, legal obedience, interest in the common good, voter turnout, tax honesty, willingness to make sacrifices, solidarity with those who are weaker, leniency for fallible politicians, resistance to extremist agitation and imperialist threats from outside.

Those calling loudest for more patriotism often have little of it. The Kikeriki der Deutschlandliebe sounds most penetratingly from the “Moscow Party” of all people. A Christian should know: Although love of one’s fatherland is a “duty of gratitude” (World Catechism), it is by no means the highest in the ranking of virtues.

In addition, it can degenerate terribly. It is strange when the value rhetoric of a C party discovers patriotism as a blockbuster instead of Christian ideals – as CDU General Secretary Laurenz Meyer did in 2004, by the way. Back then it was a pipe burst. In turbulent times it would be better for the party to propagate “fortified democracy”, social cohesion and decency against rampant brutalization.

Party with ethnic resentment expression

Rebecca Pates is a professor at the University of Leipzig. She researches social cohesion and democracy. She says: AfD voters cannot be brought back just by waving a flag.

Conservative parties are failing in their attempts to poach voters from right-wing populist or right-wing extremist parties through patriotism-promoting measures. AfD and Co. stand for an ethnic, lineage-based nationalism that clearly defines who does not belong. It will be difficult for the CDU to promote patriotism without this ugly nationalism.

In addition, this strategy fails to recognize the reasons why people vote for the AfD: the party expresses ethnic resentment. Many of their voters feel left behind by globalization and modernization and not represented by the political system. You can’t bring these people back just by waving a flag.

Nonetheless, certain forms of nationalism are indeed necessary for a functioning state. There is a connection between a sense of belonging to a larger whole and a willingness to contribute to that community – including paying taxes and obeying the law.