SWR Kultur Forum, May 7, 2026: War, Inflation, and a Backlog of Reforms – How Do We Escape the Vicious Cycle?

The Friedrich Merz administration has been in office for a year. But the self-proclaimed “Coalition for Progress” between the CDU/CSU and the SPD is mainly causing frustration among the public. The economic situation is dire, and fears of war and inflation are paralyzing the country. Perhaps even more so than in other countries. Is this pessimism yet another example of “typical German” behavior? How do we escape this emotional trap? Claus Heinrich discusses these issues with Dr. Liane Bednarz—lawyer and journalist; Prof. Dr. Raj Kollmorgen—transformation researcher, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences; and Prof. Dr. Maren Urner—neuroscientist, Münster University of Applied Sciences