WWhat can happen when the Chancellor meets citizens? One might think: little. Because everyone knows what is coming. The citizens have concerns that are presented to the Chancellor on a daily basis, in letters, emails, tweets, shouting, war and peace, daycare places, potato prices.

Conversely, citizens know or can google how Scholz talks and what he has already said on many topics. And yet: Something happened this Monday evening at the “Chancellor’s Talk” with citizens in Brandenburg an der Havel. 160 citizens sit in the “Stahlpalast” multi-purpose hall. Both an AfD information stand and a group of Putin supporters remained outside, waiting for the Chancellor's limousine with a half-German, half-Russian flag. Inside, the citizens get started.