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Guide to Aesthetics

Germany's political landscape will be noticeably different without Robert Habeck. His departure farewell, however, carries an unexpected tone.

Guide to Aesthetics
Guide to Aesthetics

Guide to Aesthetics

Robert Habeck, the former Vice-Chancellor and Economics Minister of Germany, has relinquished his Bundestag seat, leaving a significant void in the nation's political culture. After two decades of frontline political work, Habeck has been known for his sensitivity, linguistic prowess, mediation, explanation, listening, and reflection. However, his recent behaviour has raised questions, particularly in his farewell interview where he used harsh words directed at specific individuals, including his successor as Vice-Chancellor, Markus Söder, and Bundestag President, Julia Klöckner.

Habeck's departure comes at a time when another notable figure, Hape Kerkeling, a well-known showmaster, is embarking on a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. This change of perspective seems to be what Habeck is seeking now. The "taz" newspaper received attention after Klöckner disparaged it, and Habeck's farewell interview gave the "taz" a political reporting coup. In his interview, Habeck criticized Klöckner, stating she was a miscast and could cause even more damage if given a ministerial post.

The successor of Robert Habeck as Federal Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection is not explicitly named in the available sources. However, after Habeck’s resignation from the Bundestag on September 1, 2025, Mayra Vriesema succeeded him as a Bundestag member. No direct successor for the vice-chancellorship or ministry is specified in the provided information.

The article expresses a hope that Habeck will continue to make a positive impact in the future with ideas, reforms, and dedication to improving citizens' living conditions, rather than with offensive poetry and reactionary jokes, as suggested by his recent tone. His resignation has sparked a dramatic shift, raising questions about his past speech, particularly during the election campaign.

Robert Habeck's controversial comment about CSU leader Markus Söder, saying his "fetishistic sausage-gorging" is no kind of politics, has also added to the intrigue surrounding his departure. Meanwhile, Erwin Wurm, an artist known for his humorous sculptures, is discussing his life's work in a GQ interview before turning 70. As Germany navigates through this political transition, the nation waits to see if Habeck's "Habeck sound" without a mandate will continue to resonate.

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