I think of Germany in the night, and all my sleep is put to flight (Heinrich Heine, Germany: A Winter’s Tale)

My poor country is not only facing economic decline and grappling with the return of fascism, it is now also enduring public humiliation at the hands of its former American allies. The helplessness with which German politicians respond to these attacks and interference in our domestic affairs is staggering. “That is not appropriate,” outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz lets Vice President Vance know after his insults. Seriously? If someone punches you in the face, do you sit them down for a stern talk about their behavior: “Excuse me, that is not proper”?

Trump and Vance are not known for their decorum. Their crude behavior—mocking the disabled, insulting childless women, sympathizing with fascists, etc.—is well-documented. It is part of their brand, so no one should be surprised.  Moreover, Trump never hid his political intentions. NATO? Only if we pay up. But of all people, those who celebrated the murderous mob that stormed the Capitol in 2020 to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s victory—in other words, those who supported an attack on democracy itself—are now supposed to lecture us on the meaning of democracy? Quite apart from the fact that nowhere in the liberal democratic world is “one person, one vote” more disregarded than in the U.S. Beyond Senate elections, gerrymandering distorts districts, and polling site closures target Black communities.

Let there be no misunderstanding: I can’t deny a certain satisfaction in seeing the German know-it-alls getting a taste of their own medicine from an American head know-it-all. Not least Baerbock, who attacked China multiple times, can hardly complain now that she’s being treated the same way by her American allies. And yes, there’s plenty to criticize about my country—the infamous “nipple policy” in German clubs and concert halls, for instance, which bans cisgender men from baring their chests on stage while allowing queer men to do so. Or the attempts to silence (‘cancel’) critics of Israel—for instance by revoking an already promised professorship, as happened to Nancy Fraser, or by trying to chase a speaker like Slavoj Žižek off the stage. But the fact that we are making an effort to push back against the racism and xenophobia peddled by right-wing parties; that there’s a willingness to curb the wild insults and deranged fake news on social media and, if necessary, hold those responsible legally accountable? That, to me, is anything but undemocratic. If no one else will explain it to the new law enforcement official (‘sheriff’), I’m happy to do so: The “sacred” idea of democracy is precisely not about indulging every whim of ‘the people.’ The idea is rather to protect the people from themselves if necessary. There’s no need to reach for the Nazi cudgel and point to the Third Reich to understand this—a reference to Brexit is enough.

The real issue is something else entirely. German politicians should, first and foremost, urgently develop a U.S. strategy—because suddenly, to put it in the dreary official language of the EU and the German Foreign Ministry, they are dealing with a “systemic rival“ that needs to be “de-risked.” Under the umbrella of the U.S. and NATO, we can no longer feel secure. If the alliance endures, Trump’s approach will turn from a partnership based on shared values to one driven by demands for protection, where loyalty is leveraged for personal gain rather than mutual security. In this new dynamic, the concept of collective defense could be twisted into a transactional relationship, where support comes at a high cost and in a context of ever-shifting alliances. In this sense, Vance is right—the danger indeed comes from within. But the Germans continue to submissively present themselves as loyal partners—even friends. They are as clueless as they are fearful. 

You know the saying: “Whoever has friends like these needs no enemies.” Much more meaningful, it seems to me, is a reevaluation of the supposed enemy: China. Ironically, Vance didn’t allow any questions after his Munich speech—yet his counterpart Wang Yi, the autocrat from China, did.

I completely agree with him: China is indeed an ‘AfD’—an alternative for Germany. It’s high time that German politicians realize this. Okay, I get it—the political program of China differs from the ideal of constitutional democracy, fair enough. But what is possible in the U.S.—allowing a private entrepreneur to regulate state authorities, including those that might threaten his own business interests—is unthinkable in China. So is the rise of a figure like Donald Trump. The ideal of meritocracy demands institutionally recognized achievements and qualifications. It was egalitarianism that made a ruler like Trump possible—a system that elevated someone not for merit but for his ability to pander to the masses. 

At least in this regard, I still trust Olaf Scholz the most, as he has wisely disregarded the nonsense of a ‘value-oriented’  foreign policy in his decisions. No, Scholz doesn’t have a “China problem.” He has a China solution. He just needs to finally own up to it.

As a role model, none other than a fellow party member comes to mind: the late, great Helmut Schmidt, who wisely warned more than twenty years ago: “China is not just a huge market but also a major economic competitor. The sooner we adjust to the new situation, the better for our future.” It may already be too late for that. As another saying goes, “Those who come too late are punished by life.” Or by their American allies. But better late than never.

Schmidt, by the way, not only cautioned Europeans against inflating their own importance (“They are not as important as they hope. And Europe can become even less relevant than it already is.”). He was not only critical of the humanitarian idealism that took over with the Greens—an idealism that is now completely helpless and bewildered in the face of the new reality shaped by the Americans cowboys. He also was a staunch advocate for non-interference in China’s affairs, firmly upholding the principle of sovereignty. And you can probably guess which country consistently disregards this principle. A little hint: Russia it is not.

Image: Kathy, created with the assistance of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model