In many democratic countries such as India, the United Kingdom, and the United States, elections have recently taken place, and Germany is also approaching elections. Free elections are a fundamental feature of democratic societies. Citizens in these open societies have clear demands regarding the organization of their social system.
Three primary demands are generally made:
1. Participation in societal prosperity: People want to contribute to the prosperity of society and themselves through their own efforts and participation in the community. Exceptions are accepted for those who require protection or assistance.
2. A functioning public system: This includes healthcare, infrastructure, education, security, the legal system, and other communal needs.
3. Being heard and acknowledged: The voices and needs of citizens should be heard and taken seriously.
To meet these demands, certain framework conditions are necessary:
• Freedom of speech: Individuals must be able to express their opinions freely, and there should be an open exchange of knowledge and information within society.
• Individual responsibility: Individual freedom and actions must be accompanied by personal responsibility, granting the same to others in society. Individual interests should not override collective necessities.
• Non-violent transfer of power: A peaceful transfer of government and the temporary delegation of power through democratic principles are essential.
• Societal learning capability: Society must learn from new insights or mistakes, adapt its structures, and develop further to ensure future viability.
• Balance between decentralized and centralized structures: A balance between decentralized and centralized governance and power structures must be maintained.
• Protection of one’s own society: A social community or a union of states should be able to set boundaries while allowing exchange with others, ensuring the protection of society, the rule of law, and autonomy in freedom and peace.
• Economic system: The economic system should have strong capitalist elements that allow for broad participation.
When examining political trends worldwide and observing the discourse in Germany, it becomes evident that political elites in many countries, including Germany, are failing. It is not enough to rely on firewalls or fire extinguishers when one cannot sustainably address the root cause of the fire—found in the three core demands.
The lack of understanding of broad population needs and the failure to respect the foundations of functioning democratic societies lead to visible problems. A thriving, creative, and agile economic system is necessary to ensure that a sustainable, functioning public sector can be financed through tax revenues contributed by all participants. This requires a society free of fear but not detached from performance. Peace and freedom must be secured through military strength and alliances, just as all social groups must actively participate in shaping the future through their own engagement.
However, this journey cannot begin if political parties and politicians operate only within their urban social circles, cater to their clientele, and have little real-life and professional experience outside the governmental sphere. The political elite needs intelligent, proactive, and inspiring leadership based on experience and connection with broader societal layers, having been exposed to market forces and competition.
The political elite is granted the power to shape society through elections and is obligated to use this power responsibly. If they fail to seize this opportunity, the community loses out on the chance to shape its social system, leading to systemic problems. The world is changing, and democratic societies must evolve accordingly. This requires leadership that fosters and guides this transformation successfully. If power is used merely to serve personal ideals and goals, re-election, and political survival—rather than for the benefit of society—a societal backlash in the form of rising political extremes becomes evident.
Conclusion
The recent election results in the United States, France, Austria, and Italy clearly show that political elites in many countries face significant challenges. In the U.S., Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, exhibiting tendencies that extend beyond the conservative mainstream. In France, the left-wing alliance Nouveau Front Populaire unexpectedly won the parliamentary elections, while the far-right Rassemblement National has gained strength. In Austria, the FPÖ, under Herbert Kickl, achieved the best result in its history, and in Italy, the center-right coalition led by Giorgia Meloni continues to dominate.
These results reflect widespread dissatisfaction among citizens with the established political forces, highlighting a failure of the political elite and underscoring the need for new, responsible, and future-oriented political leadership. But where do such leaders come from? Competence and values are needed in politics—rather than excessive ideology and clientelism.
In Germany, political leadership suffers from a lack of competence, carries too much ideological baggage, and lacks societal pragmatism. The question remains: Are there better ways to establish effective political leadership? How can democratic societies ensure that the most suitable individuals take on crucial leadership roles? Until we find a better way, we should use our voice—so go vote.
