Gruppenbild der Teilnehmenden und Organisator*innen der Podiumsdiskussion

Democracy as a Way of Life: Panel Discussion with Minister President Kretschmann

July 8, 2025

How can we defend democracy? This question was the focus of the knowledge transfer project "Militant Democracy: Democratic Society and Totalitarian Challenge" run by the Department of Modern History at the History Institute of the University of Stuttgart. A panel discussion with Minister President Winfried Kretschmann concluded the project.
[Picture: University of Stuttgart / Uli Regenscheit]

"Democracy is not just a form of government; above all, it is a way of life," explained Winfried Kretschmann, Minister President of Baden-Württemberg, to the audience in the packed Tiefenhörsaal. With a short opening statement, he opened the panel discussion on Thursday, July 3, 2025, on the question of how democracy can best be defended. Also on the panel were the writer and essayist Anne Rabe, as well as the constitutional lawyer and legal philosopher Professor Christoph Möllers from Berlin. The public debate marked the conclusion of a knowledge transfer project led by Professor Wolfram Pyta (Institute of History), Professor Felix Heidenreich (IZKT), and Professor Torsten Hoffmann (Institute of Literary Studies). The event was organized by the International Centre for Cultural and Technological Studies (IZKT) at the University of Stuttgart in cooperation with the evangelischen Bildungszentrum Hospitalhof Stuttgart and the Literaturhaus Stuttgart.

Im unscharfen Vordergrund Hinterköpfe des Publikums, Fokus auf den Teilnehmenden der Podiumsdiskussion, die auf Anne Rabe blicken, die gestikulierend spricht.
The discussion was met with enthusiastic engagement. From left to right: Torsten Hoffmann, Christoph Möllers, Winfried Kretschmann, Anne Rabe, Felix Heidenreich
Image: University of Stuttgart / Uli Regenscheit

The discussion struck a chord with the audience

The event attracted a lot of attention, driven by growing concerns over the crisis of democracy. Students, pupils, Stuttgart residents, and representatives from foundations and the State Center for Political Education were in attendance.

Why is democracy currently in crisis? What might be effective tools for making democracy more resilient? Over the course of approximately ninety minutes, the participants exchanged views on various challenges facing liberal democracy, as well as on strategies to strengthen its resilience and appeal to citizens.

Der Rektor der Universität Stuttgart, Peter Middendorf, steht am Rednerpult während seiner Eröffnungsrede und blickt ins Publikum.
Rector Peter Middendorf opened the event
Image: University of Stuttgart / Uli Regenscheit

Universities bear social responsibility

In his welcoming address, Professor Peter Middendorf, Rector at the University of Stuttgart, emphasized the vital role universities play in democratic societies: “At the University of Stuttgart, we firmly believe in the importance of knowledge transfer to society and the value of dialogical exchange.” As an academic institution, the university carries a special responsibility - not only as a center of knowledge but also as a forum to critically reflect on the conditions under which knowledge operates.

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