2023-12-27 10:08:20
National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka bows to a convinced parliamentarian with an impressive political career
Vienna (PK) – MPs are not just representatives of certain regions or individual social groups, they are representatives of the entire people, said Wolfgang Schäuble as a keynote speaker on January 12, 2023 Reopening of the renovated historic parliament in Vienna. The former President of the German Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble, died yesterday, December 26, 2023. He was a member of the German Bundestag from 1972 until his death – for more than 50 years – and its president from 2017 to 2021.
“The death of the former German parliamentary speaker Wolfgang Schäuble deeply affects me,” said National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka. “He was a committed parliamentarian with an impressive political career.” His words always had weight. “Our meetings together were always characterized by mutual appreciation and great respect,” emphasized Sobotka. Wolfgang Schäuble wrote a piece of German history and “never tired of calling for social cohesion to the end in order to defend democracy.” “My thoughts are with his relatives in these difficult hours,” said Sobotka. “Rest in peace.”
Wolfgang Schäuble held a variety of positions in Germany: He was not only President of the Bundestag, but also held government responsibility, for example as Minister of the Interior and Finance. “For me, in 1990 he was the architect of the unification treaty between East and West Germany and made endless contributions to the integration of the GDR with West Germany.” Sobotka describes Schäuble as an “intellectual, sharp-thinking politician who analyzed and drew conclusions with precision.” This was also evident in the opening speech in the Austrian Parliament in January. Schäuble always expressed his clear stance and never gave in to public pressure. “Wolfgang Schäuble lived the freedom that he demanded for everyone and never criticized others because of their attitude,” said Sobotka. “He is one of the great conservatives in Europe.”
Against “populist simplifiers”
Schäuble campaigned across parties to strengthen the population’s trust in politics. The crises that have occurred at ever shorter intervals since the beginning of the 21st century would create a “permanent crisis mode”. He described the crisis of constitutional democracy as the “most dangerous crisis”. The loss of trust in democratic institutions helps “populist simplifiers” to gain a foothold in parliaments and governments, or leads to citizens turning away from the public sector.
In his speech on January 12, 2023 in Vienna, Schäuble “did not want to give a simple answer to the question of how it could be possible to assert the principle of representation.” It is largely up to the MPs themselves. “As parliamentarians, we must continually prove that we can overcome the great challenges of our time within the framework of the rule of law, freedom and democracy,” said Schäuble. (End) red
Questions & Contact:
Press service of the Parliamentary Directorate
Parliamentary correspondence
Tel. +43 1 40110/2272
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/OeParl
www.twitter.com/oeparl
1703672026
#German #Bundestag #President #Wolfgang #Schäuble #died