With fresh language and contagious good cheer, US presidential candidate Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party are generating new enthusiasm for their policies. Could that also catch on here in Germany? One thing is clear: without a positive atmosphere, democratic politics in the country will face an uphill battle.
According to a recent issue of DIE ZEIT, Germany’s current ruling coalition is the “worst-tempered government in the entire western hemisphere”, while an article published in the Süddeutsche Zeitung described the country’s political mood as “so hopeless”. Given the the results of the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony and the latest polls for Brandenburg, the mood is indeed bleak. A look at the United States, on the other hand, shows a very different picture. There, we are witnessing how an election campaign can massively shift the atmosphere and excite and inspire voters. Within a very short space of time, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz have successfully managed to dispel the bad atmosphere of Trump’s MAGA campaign. But could such an approach really work in Germany?
Of course, Germans aren’t known for their cheerfulness. We have a reputation for being sober, restrained, realistic, even pessimistic – very different from the land of million-dollar smiles. But it would be a mistake to deduce from this cliché that the political culture in Germany is distant and plagued by a sense of division. After all, bad-tempered, uncommunicative, and emotionless politicians have a noticeably negative impact on German politics. And on the flip side, politics can also trigger genuine enthusiasm here.
However, this type of enthusiasm is currently in short supply and could even be considered outdated. Instead, a kind of learned indifference seems to be prevailing – combined with permanent dissatisfaction at the supposed choice of a “lesser evil”.
Against this background, who would want to get more deeply involved? There’s no wonder that people aren’t only in a bad mood, but are also pessimistic about democracy, politics, and their and all of our futures.
But what can we do to change this? If you take a look at the Harris/Walz campaign, one thing in particular stands out: the change in the type of language used. Instead of labelling Trump as evil or a nail in the coffin of democracy, the two Democrats speak of him as a creepy guy you wouldn’t trust with your own children for five minutes. Instead of warning of the impending demise of democracy, they are inspiring crowds with the simple promise of freedom. And instead of talking about “solidarity” or “cohesion”, they have shifted the narrative focus to “neighbourhoods”. In short, they are employing a fresh vocabulary that, in contrast to the usual worn-out terms, brings new colour to the political debate.
In place of a professionalised, affected gravity, this new language conveys a sense of calm and a morally stable, competent cheerfulness. It inspires enthusiasm about the future; it is positive, inviting exchange, while openly addressing the dark feelings that weigh on many people in the US. At the end of the Democratic National Convention, Harris underlined the importance of “mov[ing] past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past.” She wants to fight for social cohesion and to be a president who also listens. And that is exactly how she speaks.
It is no easy task in politics to strike a tone that conveys serious commitment and at the same time a certain lightness – a joy in the cause, in public service. This is especially true in difficult times. But it is clearly a worthwhile task. Because it is the joy and the invitation to open dialogue that make all the difference. Such joy is fundamentally incompatible with demagoguery. It is infectious; it encourages people to join in. None of this is easy. But it is possible – and extremely important, as good humour is a crucial tool for political mobilisation in democracies.
With the hearty laugh of which she is openly proud, Kamala Harris stands for the return of this good humour. She is “bringing back the joy” according to Walz, a convincing family man and former schoolteacher who embodies a different form of masculinity to the macho Trump and Vance. That also seems to be contagious: A celebrity-studded circle of supporters has already formed, self-titled “White Dudes for Harris”. According to recent article in The New York Times on “happy warriors” Harris and Walz, “Democrats are smiling again.” It is this new lightness that allows them to make their political opponents look weak and faded without resorting to hatred.
This joy – cheering stadiums, big laughs on well-lit stages, staged nonchalance (“I gotta tell you, I can't wait to debate the guy,” Walz famously said about Vance) – is, of course, also a “campaign joy” that is being used in a targeted fashion. Nevertheless, it is not fake, because it triggers something real; the laughter it creates is infectious.
When you laugh, you show other people that you are well-disposed towards them. While hate comments and angry speeches divide and isolate, laughter is social glue. This shift was made possible in the US thanks to the rallying of the Democratic Party behind the Harris/Walz campaign across a remarkably wide spectrum (comparable to a broad movement ranging from the CDU to Die Linke). The significant pro-democracy demonstrations that have taken place in Germany since the beginning of the year suggest that such a development could also be conceivable here.
In the meantime, Harris is also now ahead in various polls in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin thanks to her ability to reach working-class people and people in rural areas. It is exactly this development that is interesting for us here in Germany in the context of the elections in the eastern part of the country. There, the established parties are currently finding it difficult to generate enthusiasm for democratic politics. But it is never too late for political representatives to show more joy and enthusiasm for their cause. Those who exude confidence, put a premium on genuine conversations and hearty laughter, and use hopeful language that can lift people’s spirits will open their hearts. As DIE ZEIT aptly summarised, “Energy and good humour are stronger than identity and self-interest.”
Without a positive atmosphere, democratic politics just doesn’t work. With it, entire mountains can be moved.
This article first appeared here: www.boell.de
