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Friedman rejection in Klütz: Democracy under pressure from right-wing fears!
Michel Friedman was scheduled to speak about democracy in Klütz on September 22, 2025. However, the event was canceled, threatened by right-wing protests and political pressure.
Friedman rejection in Klütz: Democracy under pressure from right-wing fears!
A remarkable evening was to take place on September 22, 2025 in the small but fine Uwe Johnson literary house in Klütz: Michel Friedman, the well-known journalist and author, was invited to talk about democracy. But the event was canceled at short notice. According to reports from NDR The organizers feared possible right-wing protests, which led to the surprising cancellation. Friedman expressed outrage and called the action “embarrassing hypocrisy,” while sharply criticizing the mayor of Klütz.
Friedman recently published his book “Mensch!” published that warns of the dangers of populism, right-wing extremist violence and social indifference. Education Minister Bettina Martin (SPD) reiterated that it was a “devastating sign” to allow oneself to be intimidated by possible protests. But the mayor Jürgen Mevius (Independent Voters' Association) got the local council behind him with his influence, the majority of which spoke out against the event - even if the costs could have been borne by sponsors.
Right-wing protests and their effects
The city of Klütz is facing an increasing challenge: right-wing groups are gaining influence in many parts of Germany and Europe. The AfD achieved almost 40 percent of the vote in the federal election in Klütz. Even if the AfD is not represented in the city council, the question arises as to how well democracy can be defended in regions with growing right-wing networks. For this reason, the cancellation of the event was presented as a strategic decision.
Oliver Hintz, the new director of the literary house, wanted to hold on to the invitation for Friedman. But on the mayor's instructions he had to withdraw it. “It is irritating to restrict an event in honor of Hannah Arendt due to fear of right-wing extremist reactions,” he said, while at the same time a long-time employee exerted pressure, which led to this tragic turn of events.
Looking ahead: A possible excuse
The city has now announced that it will speak to the Literaturhaus support association again about the canceled event. This could offer an opportunity to learn from the situation and perhaps to stand up for democracy more courageously in the future. Friedman will give the keynote speech at the award ceremony for the Johannes Stelling Prize on October 28, 2025 in Schwerin. So his voice does not go unheard.
At a time when right-wing populism is increasingly penetrating social and political institutions throughout Europe, it is important to take seriously the questions about the resilience of democracy, not only in civil society, but also from a political perspective. Populism is taking on unmistakable forms, which is expressed in the normalization of right-wing extremist ideologies. Against this background, the cancellation of Friedman's lecture is not only an isolated incident, but also symbolizes a deep-seated social conflict.