Joanna Bryson sees moral turning point for German government due to Ukraine war

All three parties in Germany’s coalition government have had to make sacrifices on long-held party positions as part of a united condemnation of Russian aggression. As a result, Germany can act boldly, with legitimacy and with the understanding of most voters, observes Professor of Ethics and Technology Joanna Bryson in an article in the Christian Science Monitor from 28 April 2022.

“The Greens agreed to consider restarting nuclear power; the Free Democrats said, ‘We’ll take debt’; the Social Democrats said, ‘We’ll spend on weapons,’” Bryson notes. That all parties have had to make compromises previously unacceptable to their respective political bases has enabled the German government to make daring decisions and bring their supporters with them, she adds. Before the war, people could still justify working with Russia and Vladimir Putin, but the invasion changed that, Bryson says.

Read the full article here.

The Hertie School is not responsible for any content linked or referred to from these pages. Views expressed by the author/interviewee may not necessarily reflect the views and values of the Hertie School.