
The sociologist Steffen Mau sees Germany and the centrist parties in a precarious situation. In the conversation he speaks about the AfD, the youth protests and the Chancellor's weaknesses.
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Steffen Mau is a well-known German sociologist who deals intensively with social debates and supposed divisions.
Berlin. The sociologist Steffen Mau was actually always one of the optimists in the country. Where others saw society collapsing into camps, Mau spoke of “trigger issues” that only intensified the debate in Germany. His thesis was that society itself was by no means strongly divided. Now Mau says in an interview with Handelsblatt that he is surprised “how quickly” that has changed.
The most prominent German sociologist of recent years does not see mass uprisings like those in France, but he leaves no doubt: Germany, especially its centrist parties, are in a precarious situation - also because the AfD is not going away any time soon. So enough points for a conversation about the youth protests, the Chancellor's weaknesses - and the spirit of right-wing populism.

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