‘Don’t vote German anti-climate parties CDU, SPD’

This 24 May 2019 video from Germany says, translated:

This is an open letter. A statement. From a large part of the Youtube scene. This weekend are the European Union elections and it is important to vote. But it is equally important to make a rational choice decision that is consistent with logic and science.

There are many important political issues, but according to the risk hierarchy, the potential destruction of our planet obviously has the highest priority. Every other topic is less important.

The irreversible destruction of our planet is unfortunately not an abstract scenario but the calculable result of current policies. We do not say that, that’s the overwhelming consensus in science. The experts clearly say that the CDU/CSU and SPD

the current German coalition government

course is drastically wrong, leading us into a scenario where the earth is constantly getting hotter, no matter what we do. In this world, not only many animal species become extinct, but also many humans. Illnesses will be on the rise for the survivors, trillions of economic losses are being created, and hundreds of millions of refugees will be coming; who will not have to stay in another country for a few years, but forever.

Therein science is certain. This is not about individual expert opinions, because you can always find them. No, it’s an overwhelming consensus among scientists based on countless independent studies and research. Anyone who denies this consensus, like the [extreme right German climate denialist party] AfD, or does not act on it, like the current government, has nothing to do in the leadership of an enlightened country.

There are ‘centre-right’ parties like the CDU/CSU in many countries. Often, they are scared of losing votes to Donald Trump-style far-rightists, like the neo-fascist AfD in Germany. Usually, they don’t say that global warming is a ‘Chinese communist hoax’, like Trump does. But they say: don’t pay too much for solving this problem; don’t make corporations like Volkswagen, Shell or Exxon pay; make instead poor people pay; etc. And don’t go any further than the Paris climate agreement (which is not enough according to most scientists). In the USA, left-wing Senator Sanders says that ‘centrist’ Democrat Biden’s ‘middle ground’ approach to the climate crisis would ‘doom future generations’.

And then, there are ‘centre-left’ politicians like in the German SPD. Who in theory have better climate policies. But who say: we are in a coalition government with the centre-right. And continuing for us to be ministers is more important than stopping global warming disasters.

Maybe ignorance is the reason for this misconduct, maybe they [the German government parties CDU/CSU and SPD] do not have the strength or the decency to put science and reality above the money and influence of big corporations and lobbies. In any case, we must ensure that parties have an incentive to act according to science. And the obvious incentive we can create is that they lose votes in the elections. Because only then would they have a reason to change their behaviour.

Therefore, we ask everyone: Do not vote for the CDU/CSU, do not vote SPD. Do not choose any other party that does little according to logic and science, and, according to scientific consensus, destroys our future. And certainly do not vote for the AfD, which even denies this consensus.

This is not about different legitimate political opinions. It’s about the irrefutable need to do everything to drastically change the course as soon as possible. That’s what more than 26,000 German-speaking scientists call for. This is demanded by the IPCC, which screens and summarizes the thousands of scientific publications. And we stand on the side of the experts. Because if we stay this course for the next few years, we may not have a chance to stop the destruction.

Finally, dear politicians: Of course you now have the opportunity to discredit us again. You can blame us for not having a plan on what we’re talking about. You will say that we are lying. That we participate in fake news campaigns. Are instrumentalized. That we are bought and paid and so on. All of these disrespectful techniques have been used against us, against your own people, this year. And we speak for many citizens when we say: You have not made friends with that.

Among the signatories:

[film maker] Julien Bam, [beauty vlogger] DagiBee, Vik, Emrah, Anni the Duck, Mirellativegal, Oğuz Yılmaz, Fynn Kliemann, Rezo, Tim Jacken, Toni Pirosa, DeChangeman, Rick (SpaceFrogs), Steven (SpaceFrogs), Aaron Troschke, Greeen, Katja Krasavice, Malwanne, [gamer] Luca Concrafter, Unge, Jana Nell, Alexi Bexi, Alycia Marie, Diana zur Löwen, Marti Fischer, Jodie Calussi, Mii Mii, Julia Beautx, CrispyRob, Simon Will, Rewi, Taddl, Trymacs, Phil Laude, Izzi, Nia, Fräulein Chaos, Heider, Soja (SophieDoesRandomStuff), Gordon, Aljosha, Jonas (Simplicissimus), David (Simplicissimus), Tilo Jung, OpenMind, Kiko, Gong Bao, Sturmwaffel, Barbara Sofie, Hendrik Rettkowski, David Hain, Fabian Siegismund, Ambre Vallet, LeFloid, Naomi Jon, Klengan, Kayla Shyx, Luna F. Darko, dyzzy, Nhi, Marius (Angeschrien), Sonny Loops, Ischtar Isik, Jonas Ems, Paul (Ultralativ), Fynn (Ultralativ), Danergy, Lenny (Lennyficate), 2Bough, Domino Kati, Marie (Snukieful), EasyAlex, Kelly, GermanLetsPlay, Maxim Markov, Alexander Straub, Jolina Mennen, Firegoden, Keanusworld, Doktor Whatson, Silvi Rockstar, Vincent Lee, Krancrafter, MrTrashpack, Tomary, Masterjam, BinaBianca, Kupferfuchs, Philip Steuer, JF not Kennedy, Mizeb, Ralph Ruthe.

Translated from Dutch NOS TV today:

Well-known German youtubers are calling not to vote this Sunday for the country’s two largest parties in the European elections because they do too little about climate change. “We ask all of you: do not vote for CDU/CSU, do not vote for SPD”, almost a hundred of them say in a video. …

The call comes a week after the 26-year-old vlogger Rezo opened the attack on the established parties. Under the title Die Zerstörung der CDU [The destruction of the CDU], he explains in almost an hour what is wrong with current policy.

This is Rezo’s 18 May 2019 video Die Zerstörung der CDU.

In addition to climate change, he also criticizes the growing gap between rich and poor and German governmental help for US American wars. The video has now been viewed almost 9 million times.

Meanwhile, over 9 million.

The CDU ruling party did not have an adequate answer to all these allegations. First, the party’s Secretary-General called the video “a mix of pseudo-facts“, but because that reaction only increased criticism, he admitted the day after that Rezo had used proper sources. …

In addition, the young [CDU] Bundestag [parliament] member Amthor would come up with a reply video yesterday, but that response did not come. …

Coalition party SPD did come up with a response. “Your criticism has reached us”, said Young Socialist Chairman Klingbeil in a video. … Klingbeil, however, also emphasized that compromises are needed in politics.

British students urge ministers to ‘teach the future’ about climate change: here.