The destruction of the CDU

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The Destruction of the CDU is a political web video that was published on May 18, 2019 in the run-up to the 2019 European elections by the German web video producer Rezo on the YouTube platform. The video is 55 minutes long and has a 13-page list of sources. In it he criticizes the current German governing parties CDU , CSU and SPD as well as the AfD and the FDP . Heaccusesthe Union parties in particular of "contributing to the widening gap between rich and poor in Germany ,helpingto promote climate change andunquestionably supportingthe USA in its armed conflicts". He also comments on the topics of education , copyright law and drug policy . At the end of the video, he made an indirect election recommendation for Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen and Die Linke . His video graphic also shows Volt , DiEM25 and ÖkoLinX as further options.

The video, which was accessed millions of times within a few days, attracted international media interest and was part of the social debate. It was the most viewed YouTube video in Germany in 2019.

On May 24, 2019 Rezo published another video entitled A Statement from 70+ YouTubers (later: A Statement from 90+ YouTubers ), in which they express their support for Rezo's concerns and therefore ask everyone: "Do not vote for the CDU / CSU, do not vote for the SPD. Do not vote for any other party that acts so little in terms of logic and science and, according to the scientific consensus, destroys our future with its course. And certainly does not vote for the AfD, which even denies this consensus. "

By the day of the European elections in Germany on May 26, the video had more than 10 million views. With a view to the losses of the SPD and CDU and the success of the Greens on election Sunday , the ZDF spoke of a "Rezo effect". Even after the election, public interest in the video remained high, reaching 14 million views four days later.

The CDU leadership's handling of the contribution was criticized as "hesitant" and "arrogant". In addition, the CDU chairwoman Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer brought up rules for opinion- making on the Internet during election campaign times and was heavily criticized for this.

Structure of the video

Rezo says in the introduction to the video: “This time it will really be a destruction video. Not because I am actively trying to destroy someone, but because the facts and figures simply suggest that the CDU is destroying itself, its reputation and its election result. "In Internet jargon , destroy means " to take someone apart with arguments " or "to flatten argumentatively". The video is further divided into three subject blocks:

In the first part, Rezo addresses the issues of poverty and education. He accuses the Union parties of not investing enough so that poorer children also have the opportunity for social advancement .

In the middle part he talks about climate change and repeatedly refers to studies and assessments by scientists. Here he criticizes the government's energy policy and calls for the implementation of the measures recommended by scientists against climate change along with the reorientation towards renewable energies . "[...] Yes, the thing is: Don't do it!" Comments Rezo.

In the third part, he complains that the Federal Government, the United States in its use of drones in the Middle East to support critical that in Germany about the Ramstein Air Base , the planning and control of international law disputed fight drone missions in the war on terrorism in drone attacks in Pakistan or other operations in Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq.

Background and production

Rezo had been operating the two YouTube channels “rezo” and “Rezo ja lol ey” for several years before the publication of The Destruction of the CDU , of which the main channel had more than 1.5 million subscribers. The content published via it is mainly intended for entertainment, is aimed at a young audience and mostly includes music and comedy videos, in which other well-known YouTubers also appear. According to their own information, almost half of the audience consists of 18 to 24 year olds; 11 percent are minors and the rest are over 24 years old. Rezo is marketed as an influencer by Tube One Networks GmbH in Cologne, which, as part of the Ströer marketing group, offers YouTubers advertising services in conjunction with traditional websites. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung saw the publication of his political video as a “worthwhile investment in his brand”, where Rezo weighed the “entrepreneurial risk” for the costs of video production with his increased awareness.

Rezo rejected this representation; he doesn't produce videos to make money, but because he “feels like it”. He wanted to share something with his audience that had preoccupied him for a long time and that was " intrinsically important" to him. Therefore, he consciously decided against monetization of the video in order not to interrupt the message contained therein with "annoying advertising clips" and to refute the accusation of acting out of economic interests. Rather, he felt the urge to familiarize himself with topics, to pursue information and to initiate “a discourse [...] regardless of the political background”. Rezo assured that no companies, institutions or parties would be involved in the conception or production of the video. The idea for the video came from himself and he was only supported in the source research by his production manager and film editor TJ. Smaller contributions such as feedback and questions about sources were made by acquaintances, friends, family and another employee. This became necessary mainly because the authors lost sight of errors in places due to the weeks of work on the project. Rezo stated that he and TJ invested hundreds of hours in the production of the video and "worked through it" in the two weeks before it was released.

He had deliberately chosen the timing of the video publication, as he expected greater political interest among the population due to the upcoming European elections . Rezo described his lecture as a "clear political position - especially against more right-wing parties". His election recommendation against the CDU, SPD and AfD was a result of the inadequate climate policy of these parties and would be based on scientific and convenient knowledge. Rezo especially warned the CDU and SPD that they can only live up to their claim as a people 's party if they stand up for the interests of the younger generation, which has so far been neglected in favor of representing an older electorate. He also encouraged the parties Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen and Die Linke to pursue an even more intensive environmental protection policy.

reception

politics

In an initial statement, the General Secretary of the CDU , Paul Ziemiak , described Rezo's statements as "mixing up a lot of pseudo-facts". The YouTuber had "made use of his right to freedom of expression". But that is not journalism . The CDU chairman Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said in her first statement on the video: "I asked myself why we are not actually also responsible for the seven plagues that existed in Egypt at the time." The avowed Catholic solved because of her lack of knowledge of the Bible caused a shit storm because she confused the seven plagues of the end times with the ten plagues of the Egyptians. An official reaction from the CDU followed on May 23, 2019. For this purpose, an open letter was published on the website with the associated PDF file and the content of the criticism. Initially, a video recorded by the Bundestag MP Philipp Amthor was supposed to serve as the CDU's response to Rezo's publication, which the party's federal executive board ultimately did not approve. Amthor's video allegedly began with the words “Hey Rezo, you old destroyer”, as revealed on the talk show Markus Lanz . The rest of those present found this visibly embarrassing. On the same day, Paul Ziemiak wrote seven personal tweets to Rezo, in which he presented a personal invitation to exchange content.

Rezo responded to the invitation on May 29 on Twitter . He does not want to "be a major participant in a discussion" because he has a problem with stuttering. A conversation with him was not his intention anyway, he had only presented "scientific knowledge and consensus" in the video, which are not new. Therefore, he found "it is not so important that people talk to me, but about this topic". It would be up to the parties to decide whether or not they saw a need for a drastic change of course. But he could "not help at all". Otherwise, Rezo was disappointed with the CDU's initial reactions. "Even if a person under thirty refers to scientists and experts, the CDU replies with lies and does not respond to arguments in terms of content," he told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Woche .

The leader of the party Die Linke, Katja Kipping , said the CDU leadership reacted “complacent to arrogant”. The Green top candidate for the European elections, Sven Giegold , accused the CDU of not “dealing with the content of the well-documented arguments.” On May 22, 2019, the SPD EU MP Tiemo Wölken was the first politician to publish a video response to Rezo's lecture . In it he defends in particular the environmental and climate policy of the social democrats. On May 24, 2019, the SPD responded with a joint video by Secretary General Lars Klingbeil , Juso Chairman Kevin Kühnert and Tiemo Wölken.

On the day after the European elections, Kramp-Karrenbauer suggested regulating " opinion making " on the Internet before elections. She compared the video published on May 24th by the 90+ Youtubers (initially 70) with 70 newspaper editors who would launch the joint appeal “Please do not vote CDU and SPD” two days before the election. This proposal was rejected by the opposition parties but also from parts of the Union as an attack on freedom of expression and censorship .

Around a month after the video was published, Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted that her party's handling of the video had been “too defensive”.

media

Rezo's account was described by Spiegel Online as a “mixture of analysis and polemics ”. Zeit Campus stated that its “criticism [was] exaggerated, angry and unfair. Luckily. " Stern.de saw the article as" basically a lesson in successful political communication with young people today ". Markus Beckedahl from netzpolitik.org called the lecture one of “the best political videos on YouTube”. Rezo “mix his anger with political argument. It may be one-sided, but it is a point of view ”. The media and communication scientist Hektor Haarkötter described bloggers and YouTubers as "serious factors" in political discourse. It shows "that today's so-called youth is anything but depoliticized". Fridtjof Küchemann from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said: “We should be grateful to him [Rezo]. […] The door to the youth rooms [is] now open - open for a political argument. ”The editor of the paper, Jasper von Altenbockum , however, described the video as a“ left-wing populist work ”and saw it as a“ politically thinking contemporary ”for everybody "Devastating" if not the "better judgment, but the unscrupulous ability to campaign in the age of the digital public [...] right and left" prevailed. According to Bildblog , Altenbockum - like the CDU - would contradict with "false facts". Festival director Thomas Oberender wrote in Der Tagesspiegel : “Over large parts, no, as a whole, this video looks like a manifesto of clarity. It's about honesty and respect. "

Several media published exemplary fact checks . A more detailed analysis by Spiegel Online confirmed that Rezo “by and large” had drawn an “accurate picture of inequality and its development”, but criticized the “selection and presentation of the data”, “flaws” in their presentation and a partially outdated database . A “really annoying manipulation” is the lack of consideration of refugee migration in the poverty statistics. Andreas Herrler from the ARD capital studio came to the conclusion that Rezo was "right in a lot of points" and better than some lengthy comments and more exciting than most political talk rounds, despite exaggerations, omissions and misinterpretations.

After the European elections, the video was featured in talk shows such as Anne Will , tough but fair , Maischberger , Maybrit Illner , Markus Lanz or Augstein and Blome .

The event also received coverage in the international press.

science

The climate researcher Stefan Rahmstorf carried out a fact check of the climate section in the video and came to the conclusion that almost all of Rezo's key statements were correct. Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim's fact check was similar in her video on maiLab , in which she examined the main statements about the climate together with Eckart von Hirschhausen quoted in Rezo's video . Both rated the explanation of the downward spiral when the 1.5 ° C target was exceeded as incorrect.

The energy researcher Volker Quaschning subjected the CDU's reply to a fact check and stated that he had "found no reliable statements by the CDU that would substantially refute the content of the Rezo video in relation to climate protection".

The physicist and President of the Technical University of Berlin , Christian Thomsen , attested Rezo that he could quote “more cleanly than some federal ministers or state politicians” and accused politicians of ignoring “the multiple scientific knowledge that climate change can only be tackled if is now being acted ". This is exactly what Rezo is asking.

Communication scientist Andrea Römmele noted that the CDU's invitation to a discussion was laudable, but ultimately doomed to failure: "If the CDU doesn't leave its usual terrain and also respond with a video, it can't ask a blogger to talk to him Konrad-Adenauer-Haus is coming. ”There Rezo would meet politicians who, in turn, are communicatively and rhetorically superior to him in their field. Two different modes of communication would meet here that are not compatible with each other, which is not a dialogue on an equal footing.

Other areas of society

The Roman Catholic youth bishop Stefan Oster saw the event "also as a challenge for [the] church". The video “hit a nerve” and was “technically superb, rhetorically brilliant, captivating the viewer”.

Rumors spread via right-wing blogs that the video was commissioned by Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen as a paid political campaign; there is no evidence for the allegations.

Follow-up video

On May 24, 2019, Rezo published a statement from more than 70+ YouTubers (later more than 90), including LeFloid , Julien Bam , Dagi Bee and Katja Krasavice , calling on them to vote against the anti-climate policies of the current government and to vote neither CDU / CSU, SPD nor AfD in the following elections. Over 30 YouTubers have their say in the video. The video ends with the words “Finally, dear politicians: Of course, you now have the opportunity to discredit us again. You can blame us for not having a plan what we're talking about anyway. That we're lying. That we participate in fake campaigns or are instrumentalized. That we're bought and paid and so on. You have already used all these disrespectful techniques against us, against your own people, this year. And we speak for very many citizens when we say: You haven't made any friends with it. ”By early June 2019, this video had been viewed more than 3.7 million times.

Awards

In the category Best Web Project , Rezo received the Nannen Prize in 2020 . The video received the Grimme Online Award 2020 in the special category. The reason given was: “Rezo's YouTube video about the contradictions in ruling politics was the outstanding online event of the year. In a spectacular way, he cracked the chariot of political communication and let hundreds of thousands of his followers into the center of power. Because with astonishingly simple but professional means, Rezo provoked helpless reactions from the surprised political apparatus, which really made the video a national event. "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rezo: The Destruction of the CDU. In: YouTube . May 18, 2019. (Video; 54:57 min)
  2. ↑ a b c d How a YouTuber attracts the wrath of the Union. In: The world . Axel Springer , May 22, 2019, accessed on June 8, 2019 .
  3. ↑ a b Rezo pointed, shortened, generalized - his anti-CDU video is nevertheless a lesson. In: Stern from May 22, 2019.
  4. ↑ Maria Fiedler: Settlement with the CDU - The Rezo video shows what annoys young people about politics. In: Tagesspiegel-online . 23 May 2019.
  5. ↑ The destruction of the CDU. In: YouTube (Video; 52: 40–52: 55 min) from May 18, 2019.
  6. ↑ a b Lilly Schlagnitweit: Youtuber criticizes government parties: Rezos Real Talk. In: The daily newspaper . May 21, 2019, accessed June 8, 2019 .
  7. ↑ YouTuber Rezo puts the video “The Destruction of the CDU” online. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , May 20, 2019, accessed on May 21, 2019 .
  8. ↑ Nina Breher: “The Destruction of the CDU” is the most successful YouTube video of 2019. Der Tagesspiegel, December 5, 2019, accessed on December 5, 2019 .
  9. ↑ Youtuber: "This is an open letter, a statement" - Rezo adds with a new video. In: Handelsblatt , May 24, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  10. ↑ Effects on Berliner GroKo - The Rezo effect shows consequences . In: ZDF from May 26, 2019, accessed on May 27, 2019.
  11. ↑ "The Destruction of the CDU". Dobrindt criticizes the CDU's handling of YouTubers. In: faz.net from May 31, 2019.
  12. ↑ Dealing with Rezo. Arrogance instead of content. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung of June 3, 2019.
  13. ↑ Rezo-Video - Youtuber Rezo wants to "destroy" the CDU - why that sounds worse than it is meant. In: Stern.de . May 24, 2019, accessed June 2, 2019.
  14. ↑ afp.com: Internet: Anti-CDU video exceeds five million hits. In: welt.de . May 23, 2019, accessed June 1, 2019 .
  15. ↑ Markus Beckedahl : Rezo vs. CDU - Who has no alternative here? In: netzpolitik.org . May 24, 2019.
  16. ↑ a b c d e f g Yannick von Eisenhart Rothe: YouTuber Rezo in an interview: "I am not saying that the responsibility for all problems lies with the CDU". In: Bento . Spiegel-Verlag , May 22, 2019, accessed on June 8, 2019 .
  17. ↑ Patrick Bernau, Niklas Záboji, Peter Carstens, Constantin van Lijnden : "The Destruction of the CDU" - The Rezo video in the fact check. In: FAZ Politics. May 24, 2019, accessed on June 1, 2019 (access only for ABO customers or against payment).
  18. ↑ David Ruch: This is the YouTuber who "destroyed" the CDU. In: t-online.de . Ströer Digital Publishing , May 23, 2019, accessed June 8, 2019 .
  19. ↑ a b Cristina Helberg: No evidence that the Greens commissioned the Rezo video. In: Correctiv . May 26, 2019, accessed June 8, 2019 .
  20. ^ Social Influencer Advertising: Ströer Digital and Tube One. Ströer Media , December 5, 2018, accessed June 8, 2019 .
  21. ↑ Online video advertising: Ströer Digital and TubeOne. Ströer Media , accessed on June 8, 2019 .
  22. ↑ Jan Hauser: Rezo, the businessman . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung . No. 21 , May 26, 2019, p. 27 .
  23. ↑ Justus Bender, Constantin van Lijnden : A range that some broadcasters can only dream of . In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung . No. 121 , May 25, 2019, ISSN  0174-4909 , p. 2 .
  24. ↑ a b c d e Rezo : One thread. Twitter , May 29, 2019, accessed June 8, 2019 .
  25. ↑ a b c Marek Majewsky: Interview with Rezo YouTuber: "These are not my first death threat." In: Nordwest-Zeitung . May 23, 2019, accessed June 8, 2019 .
  26. ↑ a b c CDU accuses “Rezo” of spreading pseudo-facts. In: Deutschlandfunk from May 22, 2019.
  27. ^ Sebastian Felser: Young Union in Rhineland-Palatinate: Rezo-Video on the CDU hardly influences voting decisions. In: Südwestrundfunk (SWR) on May 22, 2019.
  28. ↑ Kramp-Karrenbauer's Rezo counterattack goes wrong. Die Welt, May 23, 2019, accessed on May 24, 2019 .
  29. ^ The plagues of Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. In: Zeit Online from May 23, 2019.
  30. ↑ Open answer to Rezo: How we see it. CDU , May 23, 2019, accessed on May 23, 2019 .
  31. ↑ ZDF: Philipp Amthor on his video response to Rezo - Markus Lanz. June 6, 2019, accessed June 9, 2019 .
  32. ↑ CDU executive committee stops publication of Amthor replica on Rezo. Die Welt, May 23, 2019, accessed on May 23, 2019 .
  33. ↑ Rezo doesn't believe in the Rezo effect. Statement on "The Destruction of the CDU". In: SPIEGEL ONLINE. May 29, 2019, accessed June 6, 2019 .
  34. ↑ CDU top wants a conversation with critical YouTuber Rezo. Retrieved May 24, 2019 .
  35. ↑ The Union's Confused Response to the Rezo Video. BR24, May 23, 2019, accessed May 23, 2019 .
  36. ^ Response to Rezo - Tiemo Wölken. In: YouTube on May 22, 2019.
  37. ↑ Response to Rezo Statement - Lars Klingbeil, Tiemo Wölken, Kevin Kühnert. In: YouTube from May 24, 2019.
  38. ↑ CDU chairman: AKK wants to talk about Internet rules. tagesschau.de , May 27, 2019, accessed on May 27, 2019 .
  39. ↑ Germany: "Question of Political Culture". Hours later, Kramp-Karrenbauer reacts to the irritation. In: Welt Online from May 28, 2019, accessed May 28, 2019.
  40. ↑ Alex Krämer: Dealing with Rezo-Video: "Too defensive" - ​​Merkel criticizes CDU. tagesschau.de , June 19, 2019, accessed June 24, 2019 .
  41. ↑ YouTube: Rezo settles accounts with the CDU - and lands a viral hit. In: Spiegel Online . May 21, 2019, accessed May 21, 2019 .
  42. ↑ Hannes Schrader: YouTuber: Rezo is also the people. In: Zeit Campus from May 22, 2019.
  43. ↑ Fridtjof Küchemann: You can handle it! In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of May 20, 2019
  44. ↑ Jasper von Altenbockum: Destructive. In: FAZ.net , May 24, 2019.
  45. ^ Moritz Tschermak: CDU and "FAZ" contradict Rezo with false facts. In: bildblog.de from May 24, 2019, accessed on the same day.
  46. ↑ Thomas Oberender: The revolutionary power of 55 minutes YouTube. "We are Rezo". In: Der Tagesspiegel . May 30, 2019, accessed June 5, 2019 .
  47. ↑ a b Hit the blacks? In: Spiegel Online from May 24, 2019, accessed on the same day.
  48. ↑ The Rezo video in the fact check . In: FAZ.net of May 24, 2019, accessed on the same day.
  49. ↑ Fact check on the anti-CDU video: Where is Rezo right and where not? In: stern.de of May 24, 2019, accessed on the same day.
  50. ↑ YouTuber Rezo and the video about the CDU: What is it about his criticism? In: Hannoversche Allgemeine from May 22, 2019, accessed on May 24, 2019.
  51. ↑ Anger video by YouTuber Rezo in the check . In: swr3.de of May 24, 2019, accessed on the same day.
  52. ^ Political talk show "Anne Will": Rezo, the CDU and the "crazy violinist". In: n-tv , May 27, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  53. ↑ TV column "Hard but fair". Another mistake after the Rezo debacle: Helpless AKK wants rules against YouTubers. In: Focus , May 28, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  54. ↑ Sandra Maischberger: CDU has still not understood YouTuber Rezo. In: Web.de , May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  55. ↑ LeFloid defends YouTube star at Maybrit Illner: Is there a “Rezo effect”? In: Merkur.de from May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  56. ↑ "I think Rezo just struck a chord with many". In: Die Welt , May 31, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  57. ↑ Markus Lanz on ZDF: Jens Spahn makes a confession to Rezo-Video - and Lanz can't believe it. In: Derwesten.de of May 31, 2019. Accessed June 1, 2019.
  58. ↑ Neuland Internet. How much Rezo does politics need? In: the Friday of May 31, 2019. Retrieved on June 1, 2019.
  59. ↑ Examples are:
    Kate Connolly: German YouTuber Rezo's video attacking Merkel party goes viral. In: The Guardian of May 22, 2019.
    Nicolas Barotte: Un Youtubeur fait trembler la CDU d'Angela Merkel. In: Le Figaro on May 24, 2019.
    Youth's Video Takes Aim at Merkel's Party in Run-Up to European Elections. In: The New York Times, May 25, 2019.
  60. ↑ Climate researcher defends YouTuber and his CDU criticism: “What Rezo says is true!” In: watson.de from May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  61. ↑ The Rezo video in the fact check. In: Klimalounge of May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  62. ↑ Rezo scientifically tested . Video in MaiLab from May 23, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  63. ↑ Fact check of the part "The Climate Crisis" of the open response of the CDU to REZO of May 23, 2019 . In: Website of Volker Quaschning, accessed on May 25, 2019.
  64. ↑ Christian Thomsen : "Rezo quotes more cleanly than some federal ministers". In: Der Tagesspiegel from May 26, 2019. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  65. ↑ Simon Pfanzelt: Rezo adds. Youtubers attack before the European elections. In: zdf.de from May 24, 2019.
  66. ↑ Oster praises Rezo-Video: "On the nerve" and "rhetorically brilliant". In: kathisch.de . May 29, 2019, accessed June 5, 2019 .
  67. ↑ Lutz Frühbrodt: Rezo video - "This looks like a concerted action". In: Cicero . Res Publica Verlag , May 29, 2019, accessed June 8, 2019 .
  68. ↑ Rezo, Dagi Bee, LeFloid and more than 80 other YouTubers follow up with a new video statement. In: Ostsee-Zeitung of May 24, 2019.
  69. ↑ Rezo publishes new video - More than 90 YouTubers stand behind him. In: Westdeutsche Zeitung of May 24, 2019.
  70. ↑ above: Grimme Online Award 2020. The winners. Grimme Online Award website , accessed June 26, 2020.