on the future starts february 14th on d, w. ah ah, this is dw news live from berlin, germany looks set to re elect it's president incumbent. frank walter stock meyer has the backing of the governing coalition and is poised to win a 2nd term. a special parliamentary assembly is meeting to cast its vote for the largely ceremonial head of state. ah

next by sir. good to have you with us. and we being here in berlin, where we are minutes away from learning who germany's next president will be. the head of state is elected by a group of parliamentarians and other prominent germans and the popular incumbent. frank volter stein meyer is expected to come out the winter for a 2nd 5 year term. after receiving the backing of all 3 parties in germany's governing coalition. the german present it is a largely ceremonial position. former chancellor angler merkel is among those eligible eligible. forgive me to vote. she's there and her 1st public appearance since she left office. and for more on this i'm john a studio by d w's. chief political correspondent, melinda crane. thanks for being here, melinda. so largely, ceremonial. why do we care what so important? in fact, that's a question that is a frequently asked polls asking germans whether they think this office still needs to needs to be there regularly get a majority saying yes,

we do need the president. why? well, his ceremonial function is actually also a function as a unifier. sometimes he's called the conscience of the nation. he gives speeches, he tries to build bridges from the other side, mar, has said he wants to be the people's president, wants to reach out, listen to people's concerns and help heal the divisions in society. in fact, that's one of the reasons he wanted to run. again, he says the pandemic has, if anything, only open those divisions wider and he wants to help solve them. beyond that though, he also has a very interesting function of essentially substantive review of whether legislation . so he is the one who signs off on laws once they're past that is a formal matter, but it is also a substantive matter. presidents in the past have sometimes stopped a law from going forward because it either was not in conformity with the

constitution or had not been passed by the proper procedures and inch di myers case . he also played a very important role at a critical juncture for germany 2017 long drawn out coalition, right oceans had not produced a new government. and instead of saying, okay, we're just going to call new elections at a time when there was rising mistrust in this country in government and in politics . he held the feet of his own party, the social democrats to the fire and said, look, you need to think about going into a grand coalition once again, which they had not wanted to do. that was a very good example of the stabilizing function. this off the right place and exactly the function that the founders of the modern german republic wanted the presidency to have as a stabilizer of democracy. right? so large ceremonial perhaps in large parts, but at some critical juncture, is playing a key role and ensuring that the constitution is respected. we're looking now for

viewers that live pictures of the people who have been voting in the bonus tag, have some difficulty identifying them with their masks. perhaps melinda will help me out if she wants to. at some point in the coverage will be providing today. but perhaps we could take a look at starting myers 1st 5 years in office. this is his 2nd term. possibly. should he be elected as widely as expected? let's take a look now then at how he performed in his 1st mandate, 1st 5 years in a row. for 5 years, frank valdosta and maya has held germany's highest office. he's met royalty and dealt with many world leaders. from the moment he was sworn in in 2017, he want democracy was under threat. it wasn't in moods. we must have the courage to protect what we have, freedom and democracy in a united europe. this is the foundation we want to and we must defend together

dismissal the emitter under for tithing. and in his 1st year as president time, i have played a key role in the democratic process and inconclusive general election left the party leaders struggling to form a government shine. maya coaxed them into a coalition paving the way for angler miracles. 4th term as chancellor or different ro traveling the globe and winning friends for germany, often with his wife. okay, boot and bender shine maya, a former foreign minister in his element in 2020. he attended a ceremony in israel to mark 75 years since the liberation of the outfits. nancy death camp stone, my speech to a link with racist violence to day. our age is a different age. the words are not the same. the perpetrators are not the same but it is of same evil. and there remains only one answer. never again. ne vida.

just months earlier, a heavily armed man had tried to enter a synagogue in the city of halla aiming to cause a blood bath. stein maya quickly visited the scene. think as if the amount on the history warns us and the present challenges us, we must show we have the right attitude. emerson hold on sighing. as the covey pandemic opened new rifts in society shine meyer showed. he shared the nation's pain. some said he was not clear enough in challenging coven deniers and vaccine skeptics. but again and again, he appealed to germans to stay united, including last year as he announced he was running for a 2nd term, defending me. what steve for wound the pandemic is left deep wounds. it is broad suffering and grief, economic and mental distress, and much frustration and bitterness. we've argued over the right way forward and opened wounds. i want to help he lies, wound in vig, this mister heaven. these haven't,

and so frank vanished. i admire stands ready to keep offering his healing words if and for more in this, we're going to go to the bonus tag now and talk to our political correspondent nina has a who's standing by, as the voting has been taking place. and in just a quick question, this selection is a little bit unlike previous ones can, can you, can you tell us why? well anti cove it measures still apply. there is a very strict testing regime here. we've all had to be tested. it doesn't matter whether or not you are vaccinated, you still need to have your negative test result to be here. and there is a strict adherence of as sort of distancing rules. and so the members of the federal convention, i walked into that a big hole area and it was interesting to see them spread out over 4 floors. and some of them are also in other committee groups and rooms. so this is something

that nobody has seen. so far and it is a, there's police presence everywhere. so anti covered rules very much still apply here. that is not an, any glamorous a get together by any of the party groups. that is usually part of the tradition because of course, the federal convention, the election of germany's president is also an event where germany celebrates democracy, where all people from all walks of life essentially come together. there is a representative group from all kinds of allows of german society here. and a lot of that glamour that usually exists is just not happening this year. i'm speaking of glamour. our viewers just looking at were looked there. she is anglo merkel. we have not seen her since she left office. did you see her? what are people saying? there was a very long applause when uncle michael entered the room, of course as she walked to us, she greeted a few people here and that she walked in and smiled. but other than that,

she's just a member of the federal convention. now she is of course, an ex chancellor that gives her some sort of a prominent status. but other than that to she is here to elect the new devon president. ok, nina has a covering on election for us from the bonus tag, and i'm gonna turn it back to melinda crane. aren't she political editor, or just have to merkel as well what do you make of her appearing there is quite, quite a surprise. well, it's interesting her electoral district in the eastern german state of mecklenburg for common, asked her if she would attend this assembly. the assembly is about double the size of the normal parliament. all of the buddhist hog members are there. but in addition, they are the same number of people who are appointed by the state governments, essentially, according to the proportions of the parties in those state governments. so her district asked her if she would like to fulfill this role as essentially

a gesture of thanks to her because she was not only the chancellor, but of course also a member of your for the, for just hung from her district. so that's why she's there, and indeed it's kind of her returned to the better political stage for the 1st time in also a ceremonial role. but she will be one of those who alexa frank vanished on mar by the way his election is not in dispute. he definitely has the majority of the votes and she knows him very well because he served among other things as her foreign minister. yeah, i want to get to the man a little bit thankful we have, we heard about what he did it in his 5 years in office as president. what did he do before? well, he has had essentially his career in politics from the time that he finished his legal studies. he shortly after that went to the state government of gearhart. schroeder who later became came federal, chancellor of germany for this social democratic party. and he followed shredder to

berlin and took over as his chief of staff. and in fact, he was the architect of the very important but also very controversial social welfare reforms known as the agenda 2010. so that essentially we're so controversial that the s p d lost the election of 2009, receiving one of its historically lowest results ever. that meant that a fun father stein meyer then of course, was a member of the opposition and yeah, and he did then for some time lead the opposition and the parliamentary fraction. he also, however served, as i said, as foreign minister, not once, but actually a twice after that stint in opposition when the s p d returned. he was then a was then a foreign minister once again. and interestingly enough, in his time as foreign minister,

there was no country that he visited more than ukraine. he was on the my down in 2014. when essentially the you helped to broker a solution that took the ukraine back from the verge of civil war. he was one of those who also me helped to mediate the minsk agreement. that is now once again the subject of discussions amongst russian ukrainian politicians together with mediators from france, germany. so he has had a long political career and a, you know, only now for the last 5 years in this largely ceremonial function. ok, well we're getting to ukraine a little bit later in the broadcast. i just want to go back to india has a nina, if you're still there with us. and i understand that we don't quite have the results of the election yet, but it is an election and there are other candidates as well. can you tell us about

that? process yes, that's true. there are 3 other candidates. so the left party, the far right h d policy and the free voters have put forward their own candidates. and they know all of them that those candidates stand very little chance actually of succeeding, punk fight osteen maya. because not only does fine fight osteen my, i have the support from the 3 governing parties, the s b d, the greens and the f t p. he also has the support from the conservative so from anglo michael's party and a flip like mats, his party these days. so this is interesting at when you look, especially at the candidacy of the far right. a, if these candidate max or to this is a very controversial decision that the a f d actually nominated somebody who is a member of the conservative party. and many people are saying that they did so purely to annoy the conservatives. and of course, with the hope to snatch away some of the votes from the conservatives,

and the f t p. some of those who may want to support a more conservative a candidate. but of course, there is a general rule here for conservatives as well to not to form an a liaison of any sort with a fall, right? a f d. so that is something by the 8th to have clearly m signal that they just want to provoke the conservatives. ok, while the election is ongoing and will be across it as it unfold. thanks to nina has in downtown berlin and to melinda crane here in a studio, i will come back to you both later in the show when the election results are announced. and now it's time to move on to some others. the latest diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in ukraine had so far failed to ease tensions. on saturday, the american and russian president spoke for an hour on the phone. afterward, joe biden warned that russia will face what he called, severe and swift cost. if it invade ukraine, vladimir putin for his part dismissed us warnings as what he called hysteria.

meanwhile, ukrainians have rallied to support their govern, which is calling for calm, even as many foreign nationals leave the country. a shoe of unity and ukraine's capital. the brave faces here, though belie growing fears about to rush an attack on their country. and we, what are we afraid would probably yes, i feel the anxiety inside me like by the others, are already plotting their escape. if things i mean, we will try to real pick them personally to prepare all documents and making plans for their children to where i live in countryside ukrainian forces training near the black sea. these are been warfare exercises,

hence the kind of unrest they are preparing for. president to lensky, however, cold for com heads to prevail. the best friend for enemies that is benny in our country and all this information details only for fanny doesn't help us during an hour long phone call on saturday. u. s. president joe biden warned vladimir putin of swift and severe costs. if russia does invade pertinent team accused the us of unprecedented hysteria, the u. s. is taught diplomat antoni blink and also spoke with his russian counterpart on our call for mr. lover off said the tub russians are working on a response to the paper that we sent to moscow. more than 2 weeks ago, proposing concrete areas for discussion. it remains to be seen if they'll fall through on that, but if they do, we'll be ready to engage on sunday contingency plans turned real

u. s. staff at the organization for security and economic cooperation based in the rebel held city of dot net. we're packing up and heading home, just the latest group to decide that the risk of all out war is now too great. and let's get a round up of some of the other headlines making use around the world at this hour . you're looking just to the right of your screen at some live pictures of the bonus tag, where frank folder stein mark is expected to be reelected almost certainly, as the german president. moving on to other news in the world, hungary prime minister, victor, or ben, is campaigning for a 4th term in office or been told supporters in budapest that there could be an influx of refugees from ukraine. should war break out. he also headed that hungary could leave the european union. the election isn't a problem. switzerland is holding

a nationwide referendum on tobacco advertising and initiative aim to protect children would ban ads from public spaces. voters are expected to back the new restrictions. extreme drought is affecting large areas of spain. these images show the ruins of a village once submerged below a reservoir, now exposed to the air as water levels drop. drastically. experts warn that a dry spring could be dire for spain's important agricultural sector. police have failed to clear a major bridge crossing between the united states and canada. it's being blocked by truckers protesting against vaccine rules. police persuaded some drivers to move their vehicles, but they reconvene later. the weekend has brought a wave of fresh, fresh wave rather of protesters into the canadian capital auto. where a core group of truckers continue to occupy the downtown area. taking their outrage

blue to that government doorstep. it's been over 2 weeks now that the freedom convoy has come to the canadian capital altura, a plan to force on vaccinated truck drivers crossing between canada and the u. s. to quarantine spoke the initial rally. but the demonstrators and safety, the blockade goes way beyond opposing the rules on inoculations were not yearbook vaccinations, and i can tell you 90 percent of the chargers here are likely vaccinated. but we're here for freedom of choice or canadian need to wake up and realize that our freedoms are being served the way it is not normally for us to wear mask all day. okay. i'm sick and tired of it. i'm a teacher in the classroom and target to police could not move the protesters off

a border crossing. it's one of the major curry doors into the united states. the blockade has affected trade and travel between the 2 countries. it's also inspired support rallies over the border to buffalo in new york state. and as far away as new zealand ah, in the netherlands truck has rolled through the hague and thousands of french police were deployed to stop the convoy of freedom from entering paris. oh, but some protest as made it, they took aim at vaccine pulses and president emmanuel micron, but also tapped into the discontent over rising prices. but you know are right, this is our freedoms are violated, but we just have the right to work to spend and to be taxed for you guys. the price

of diesel increases, we told sugar insurance increases everything, increases police clear the streets using tear gas. but this is not ended the protests, the freedom convoys. next stop is the european union's power base in brussels. and we're going to go back to the election reelection perhaps all, almost certainly of a frank walter shy mar as the german president ah, joined by political correspondent melinda crane. here in the studio, nina has a who's at the one to sac where the election is turning place and i turned to you, nina. first, do you have any news? has he been re elected? what's happening, where you are? well, to be honest, to be very honest because of these anti covet rules, i really don't know because i don't have access right now to where it's all happening. so while i'm talking to you, i can't really tell you, i can always go over and get my information there. and of course i can watch it live footage. but other than that,

i can't tell you yet. i do know that it's all out going on a bit longer than expected. also probably because many people are here for the very 1st time. they don't know the way round and because of anti cove it rules, it was very the rules are very strict about where they can cast their votes, et cetera, as a i think we still have to wait. okay, so a little bit slower than usual. it would appear, but there is no political significance. it's a medical precaution. i think that explains the delay. and i'm just going to turn to melinda crane. now try to ask you if we can look back ah, at frank balter, stein myers main achievements. we're looking at pictures live, i don't know if you wanna explain anything. we're see. this is the yeah, this is the president of the bonus tag. and also the chair of the convention of babel boss. and she obviously is getting ready to speak, which must mean that they are close to having the results there. you see the former chancellor anglo michael still a few se being taken

a lot of that going on before they all sit down. again. the tattling of the vote has been a little bit more complicated than normal because in fact, the essentially administrators of this election are spread out all across this building for those coven reasons that we heard. here we're seeing the state premier of bavaria, mac, a soda and and clearly people now getting into place to hear those results. the results are not in dispute, right? it's very clear that the parties backing frank, vanished on mar for a 2nd term. absolutely have the majority of the needed votes. well, as we watch people mel about, can i ask you then? um we heard a little bit about what i'm thankful to restart mar had done, but we could drill down a little bit deeper and his main achievements. what, what, what did he do in office? well, his 1st term, of course, the last 2 and a half years of it have coincided,

or the last 2 years of it have coincided with the pandemic when he came into office as president. he said quite interestingly, something that is equally valid today, if not more so that we are all facing significant risks in our societies in western societies that we are often in uncharted waters. and that we need courage and a sense of solidarity and a willingness to confront risks going forward. we'll clearly, he could have been talking about the pandemic. although that was a couple of years before it hit. so he sees himself as the president of the people, and it has always been his objective to go out to the people to hear their concerns, to try to heal divisions in society. the pandemic made that a lot harder for him because he's known as a good listener, but it's a lot harder to do. good listening when you're on to zoom conference than it is

where you can go out and really need people face to face. and he has expressed frustration about that. he's given a lot of video addresses. he's not necessarily the greatest rhetorical president germany has ever had. although there are a couple of things that stand out. one are the remarks that he made after the killing of a local politician in hester a, a brutal killing by a right wing terrorist and a. and he said at that time that hate speech on the internet had helped pave the way for this killing. and that we're seeing a brutalization of speech that essentially takes us tour violence. that was a very important assertion. and i think it really got people's attention and that's one of the functions of this ceremonial post to get people's attention. another thing, another right wing attack that had occurred on a synagogue in the eastern city of holler after that attack. he spoke

a yard for shem in israel. we saw part of it in that earlier report. what we didn't see is his words. when he said, i wish i could say for certain that we germans have learned from history. but when i know that it's only the thick wooden door of a synagogue that stood between the congregation and a killer, i'm not sure i can say that any longer. okay, well, thank you, melinda. we're going to go to some live pictures that now. 07, these big department, valid? 12, valid votes. 1425. and abstentions. 6. 86. it's fun. now it's getting exciting, isn't it enough? i think because according to the and from i to co, 54 will actually 1st let me say the results with individual candidates different.

oh dr. dr. stephanie gay bower 58 loads. oh yeah. dr. gad, i but 9 to 6 months. oh yeah, and dr. mark, dr. max, utter 350 votes.

oh yeah. and dr. franco, dash down, maya. 1045 votes.

he stood up and hugged. i believe that was his wife, melinda crane. here, the city. okay. i have confirmation and anglo merkel. ah his and it was the former chance, sir, making her 1st appearance in public since she left office ah, clapping and cheering, all kinds of applause as their selection comes to an end of the speaker part. i read the results for other candidates because this was not a one kennedy race. ah, and i think i'm gonna go to our correspondent. oh, i think we're going to go back in to listen to some oracle, 54 paragraphs or 60 of the basic law to the person who has the majority of the votes cast in the federal convention is elected, namely who ever has more than 67 percent of the vote. so here i duly note that doctor frank,

my dash 9 maya has received the majority of the votes and is therefore german president of the federal republic of germany. here the phone, my doctor stein. man lehman. i must ask you, do you accept the president result of the elections making new german president of the federal republic of germany? or when the fact was it under president of the bundle tag? yes, i accept this position. madame

one here. ladies and gentlemen, i duly note, so my lead doctor frank law attached by maya has accepted the results of these elections as german president and i speak on behalf of all of you when i wish him every success. and because i can see some bouquets under the various chairs, i think you can see that there's a fair bit of distance up that he has to crass now i'd like to ask you as sad as it is he not to congratulate him on his way to tribune, but that we 1st allow him to speak to us after which we will hear the national anthem. it will only be played, however, i ask him not to sing along with it because of the pandemic. and after that,

you will all have the time to congratulate him at your leisure sci, my us often, mr. stein. maya these proceeding to the rostrum and sleek, i'm biskin, undo them, and that it is, ah, has to do with the location that we are good about convening in that it takes a bit longer, but perhaps you would say that it build suspense. yep

would've been the hub german president. you have the floor. thank you problem about what the president of the bundle tag delegates is id. i thank you banker. i thank you for the trust that you have placed in me. i thank

those who voted in favor of me and i requested the trust of those who did not present at the office of the president who goes beyond party lines. and i promise you, i will continue to take this position that way. my responsibility goes to every one who lives in this country. and thus i will be beyond piety lines. but i am not neutral. when it's about democracy. if you are fighting to preserve democracy, good, if you are fighting for a democracy, i will be on your side. if you are attacking democracy, you will find me your opponent.

with ladies and gentlemen, delegate. the fact that you have trusted me with this office where for the 5 years is something that moves me deeply. it is an honor, it is a joy to be. but my joy would be great. so if the federal convention could have been held on it in a different situation without the constraints of the pandemic, but fine wire, my joy would be greater than on that one. if a federal convention when night convening an enemy is something we have become used to protect turned by friends at peace with our neighbors for over 30 years unified again. what a joy this has been for our country. but in recent days and weeks, we have learned once again what we should have, none. we cannot take peace for granted. that piece must be worked for here

a little a little in a dialogue. but where necessary with clear words with deterrence. joining forces together, ladies and gentlemen, and that's what we need now working and part of clarity is despite how much we might want to talk about the reasons of the alienation increasing between russia and the west. what we cannot talk, disgust is we find ourselves at risk of a military conflict at risk of a war in eastern europe. and russia bears the responsibility for this one, what more? mm hm. and we cannot misunderstand the marching russian troops. it is

a threat to ukraine and its intended as such for the people there have arrived to a life without fear, without threat, a right to self determination and serenity. no country in the world has the right to destroy that. for another country and those who try to do it will get a clear response from us. and we will speak with one voice or any of your point, but it's not just in ukraine, but in many countries in eastern europe, fear is rising, which is why we are on the side of the lithuanians. the latvians, the estonian, the poland vacuums, the romanians, all of our allies. they can rely on as germany is part of nato and the european union. without them we, germans would not live in unity and liberty and we will not forget that. and we are not forgetting it now, so that let me say without any ambiguity,

we are committed to our duties in this alliance here de la gooden delegate. good man. i mean, what we share is the community of liberal democracy. that with us at our knowledge is the strength of the just over the justice of the strong and democratic institutions. in many countries are seen as weak. wherever our power is concentrated. in one hand, a conventional like this will be seen as a meaningless ritual. and countries like this democratic decision making processes are considered a week. and the law is something that just slows things down,

working towards the prosperity and happiness of all is considered naive by some systems. but ladies and gentlemen, let me wine president, put in, do not underestimate the strength of democracy. lord willing, why am i so certain of what i say our democracy is strong because it is supported by it citizen because it strength doesn't come out of oppression and external threats and fear within me it is because it offers people more than just ideas about national might and dominance over others that democracies are not all equal. no, they aren't of course not. but in their,

in our core they are related to one another. and that is something that connects us, but we are not seeking confrontation. it's the same message that you hear from washington, paris, and berlin, because we want to live in peace with our neighbors on the basis of mutual respect . and ladies and gentlemen, the reason why i'm saying this is because soon for the 50th time, the signature of the final actor sell king the helsinki will celebrate 50 years made this anniversary not be an occasion in which we see a failure of peace between the east and west in europe. let us work. loyal quite the opposite. let us work to renew this valuable legacy. president puts in loose and the noose around the throat of ukraine. find

a pathway to preserve peace in europe. all of them of our democracy is strong, delegates and our convention is strong as well. it is a self confident expression of their strength. look around you at oliver's collect, convened here today. the very fact that we are here to day, from all over our country, despite all of the obstacles the pandemic puts in our way that shows that we respect our democratic institutions. we know that this democracy thrives on the diversity that you are represent in this home visit for them. and this when the convention shows something else you've been with them learn in this country, their law beyond their logic of government and opposition. there is

a broad based majority in favor of strengthening our democracy. that is how i see you doing your duty and i will do mine. even i didn't know the whole, but at this point i would like to express my respect for the fellow candidates who ran in this election and allow me professor tablet more to say at one thing more with the other candidates lava. in running as candid it, you have drawn attention to something that deserves my attention near me, the situation of the most vulnerable most poor in our country.

herbert and that mister tar burnt london, we owe you, not just our respect, but a hope that the signal you are sending is heard in spite of the issue of homelessness is important to both of us and you know about why is it that we do not look at how we can address this urgent issue. let us try you and i to attract more attention to it together. mr. talbot, let's have a conversation about how we can make that happen. there to delegate delegates for the 2nd and that is not underestimate the strength of democracy under certain girl. but let's also not underestimate the challenges facing at the moment and those who are against democracy, both within at them and outside of them see

a lack of capacity in our response to the pandemic. they moved out our institutes. they doubt time, free science, free press. yes them in the vehicle. it's true to me that emerging from the pandemic is not a straightforward matter of course that have been set back. there have been mistakes, we have made mistakes. but ladies and gentlemen were just show me one, arthur, a tory and system that has emerged from this crisis better than we have in stock. or is it the strong man self designated across the globe who have not shown their weaknesses? wasn't it the case that the empire emperors suddenly had no clothes on when they were talking about conspiracies? good boy, warmer than the decisive non breakthrough in combat. in the pandemic.

developing vaccines in record time was something that was successful because of my jumping and bright researchers any confidential or confident entrepreneurs in the heart of germany in europe, in the u. s. who researched and made these vaccines happen. and this is something we can be very proud of the 1000000. if i look at our country, these men, i see people who might, for a month have struggled to get through less panoramic and not because they were forced by an iron hand to do so. but because they have tried to do the right thing, i have tried to hang in there. you have tried to do what needed to be done. the monday sweeping majority of people in our country act on the basis are solidarity

and responsibility for 2 long years. which for many feel like an eternity as your on her old and your new president of germany. i want to thank you from the bottom of my height for the huge effort we have all made to get through this pandemic. thank you to everyone. what will be you'll notice, but we can feel dispute the other side of things as well. yeah. and the 2 years into the pandemic, we can feel frustration, disappointment, limb and good people are getting. why now it's been a lot of effort. we've been fighting about the right way, for words, a debate that went far beyond the world of politics in schools at work among friends and colleagues, even into every family, depending on their pandemic. what has left real wounds in our society though?

and i want to help them to heal these wounds. about dean and b one and all. but those who tell the wounds open, who spread layers and talk about ada corona dictatorship and even insight into violence against nurses, mares and police to them. i say i am here and i'm here to stay with her and i will not avoid controversy as your president democracy needs controversy, but there is a line in the sand and it runs up to hatred and violence. and we must not cast this line in this country. ladies and gentlemen,

before you get rid of them, i fear that those who are against democracy lies well not go quiet him after the end of the pandemic, they will look for new is to latch onto. they will look at new fears that they can and site and there are plenty will our children have the same standard of living that we have today? can i keep up with the changes of the digital world? is our country going to fall by the wayside in global competition? these are the concerns delegate that are breeding ground for those who work with fear as their political daily bread. and i fear they will do it. they will continue to do it with the major challenges facing us, combating for environmental change, climate change, delegates, and these challenges this transformation to assess dana bal,

lifestyle on our planet hung. and this isn't something that a country or a government can to simply pick as you believe, we didn't choose it, it is a matter of survival of humanity and tackling this challenge brings us into an age of change and turbulence. many hope it will be a change for the better and others fear, and it will be a frightening change. but it's my conviction that if we can emerge from these changes and make a new diet to put in the future, then it cannot be something for us grabbed by the state. we must build bridges between the generations, between the noise, those who have lived here for generation of those who have come more recently. bridges between all the cities and the rural areas and between lean towards on people in public,

often by the dumb and politicians and berlin. we need to build bridges to the future that are moran and strong enough for every one to crush them. and for that delegates, i will devote myself that rebellion i will work towards nestle, we're me and i learned the willing target with all of you. i want to talk to people in the smallest remote villages far from the big cities. i want to reach out and visit people who have last year in these development, there are villages who have to completely reinvent themselves. and none of these villagers should be seen as at the edge of society. society needs all of them for the future of our country. we need every one. if we are to forge new cohesion, it remains our experience. that transformation can only succeed if there is

something in it for the weak and vulnerable. and it remains a certainty. ladies and gentlemen, that every one left behind is missing for our democracy. and reaching out and speaking to other people need time beyond newman and we have to take this time. if we do not want to miss understand one another completely, if we don't want to lose in the wrong conflicts, i will take this time. i will time travel through our country, the transition between them out my office is on the well and our guy shall be on the 18th of march. the day of the talk with that is an important day in our democracy. and i will start on this day to travel through the regions and will spend my 1st day in east germany. my very 1st day in office will be in

eastern germany. and i look forward to leave with delegates that home the, the trust that you have placed in me and in this office that's kind of brooklyn is something i value, i know that it is a precious gift and i promise you i will deal with it respectfully and carefully and with a german president cannot create all new certainties. but what the president can do is to help dismantle fear for the future. you can help lendy confidence can remind you of how many crises we have successfully overcome in the last 70 years. how the east germans brought the dictatorship to its knees, how we worked together on a unified euro, a job,

and chancellor can encourage people to take on responsibility, can cover their banks, can help them find solutions for the problems of our age. but we really trust on a demo delegates trust in democracy at the end of the day is nothing more than trust in ourselves in our basic law, it doesn't say all good things come from above. it says that there does all powers of this state come from the people and this is a promise to our citizens and it is a promise from one citizen to another. do not withdraw them, take on responsibility each and every one of you better than that water. so it's the dual nature of democracy. if you like, it is a both a promise and an expectation in one more democracy or is it an affront american model?

but that's when i want to encourage everyone that the effort is worth it and that we must make this effort. that is how i see my job. there are some who say that a liberal democracy is losing ground under this century. others say to what is going to be the age of their strong hand, the authoritarian system. and what you can tell from my voice that i think this is wrong. me no delegates. there's only one thing that's for sure that the future is open and no one. no i to cracked, no ideology has better responses than a democracy. so let us stand proud delegates, let us not be afraid. let us tackle the future head on. may the authoritarian have their ice palace and their golf courses, but nothing is stronger, nothing is brighter than the idea of liberty and democracy in their hearts and minds of the people

you in every one of you in this hall, every one of us in this country every one who does more than just look out for themselves is creating a better future for our lovers, and every one and who makes an extra effort at work or at as a volunteer or in their town council or wherever they are working are fighting for our democracy for our future, everyone who does what they can make. so the brightness of democracy, light compatriots, let us tack all this. i look forward to what's ahead of us. thank you very much.

thank you. thank you. thank you man, i get what happens now that again, can i go back and

we are watching the real elected president of germany, frank published i admire, returned to her seat after making pretty impassioned speech warning about the need for peace in europe, saying that the ukrainian people have a right to life without fear, and actually warning by and named vladimir putin, the president of russia, that he should not underestimate the strength of democracy and accusing him of putting a noose around the neck of ukraine, amongst other things. and if we can, i'd like to go to our chief international editor melinda crane, and was with me in the studio to see what she thinks about this one. how did you react to the speech? indeed, with a very strong speech, a very direct speech in which the president stein meyer clearly talked about the

challenges for and risks to democracy, both abroad and at home. and that, of course, with the unifying factor, their presidency here in germany is seen as a stabilizer of democracy. and he made it clear he plans to take that responsibility very seriously. and we're going to go back to the national anthem and we'll pick up the discussion a little bit after that because you're allowed to hum. but we're asking you not to sing. and i think the german president just said you're allowed to ham. but because a pandemic may ask you not to sing oh, ah,

lou lou, lou ah, ah, ah huh. yeah, ah

and you just, of course are the drilling national anthem played, but this man recently re elected president of germany think published on my are and the 1400 all delegates who helped have in the a lot be re elected to a 5 year term. and really continue our analysis year with our chief international editor melinda crane. a pretty impassioned speech by my estimate. can you continue what you were saying early deed, and clearly designed to send some messages to the audience abroad, as well as at home at direct to direct appeals to president putin. don't enter under estimate the strength of democracy and remove the noose from around the neck . of ukraine, a very that will undoubtedly be a headline for any other national papers. he also.