As to whether she believes the responsibility lies solely with the media, the former CDU leader did not give a direct answer. She called on politicians to be aware that there is no solution without discussion. \u201cAnd today, discussion is immediately labeled as conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Merkel, it is necessary to understand that these are \u201cprocesses of opinion formation,\u201d which are \u201cinherent to the matter.\u201d \u201cBefore we always talk about conflict, let us also consider this: that people are working, and with considerable passion, to solve complex problems,\u201d Merkel argued. \u201cA compromise solution is what makes diversity and majority acceptance possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the CDU politician confirmed her 2015 decision not to close the borders. \u201cThere would not have been the possibility to remove \u2018refugees\u2019 from the country with water cannons.\u201d Migrants who arrived in Germany had to be treated humanely and in accordance with German law. \u201cAnd fortunately, I found many people who supported this. Otherwise, it would not have been possible at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, however, the AfD acted populistically, xenophobically, and intolerantly. Merkel herself fought to distance herself from this. \u201cI believe that even today, after mature reflection and analysis of that time, this is the right stance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the ongoing crises, Germany remains a strong democracy, \u201cdespite all the attacks, for example from the AfD.\u201d Whether the party of Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla should be banned Merkel did not want to comment on. \u201cBut it certainly will not have any cooperation with me.\u201d<\/p>\n