Corona crisis: Caritas President warns of populist danger

Corona crisis: Caritas President warns of populist danger

Freiburg, Deutschland - Freiburg, December 27, 2024-the new president of the German Caritas Association, Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa, sees Corona pandemic as a decisive turning point in society. In a conversation with the Catholic News Agency (KNA), she said that the political and social issues about migration and national borders have become more important since the beginning of the crisis. "Corona was a turning point here," she emphasized, warning of the populist efforts to fuel fears by wanting to ward off external threats with border controls. Her statements are part of a greater discussion about the influence of pandemic on current social currents, which are particularly alarming in terms of migration and nationalism.

focus on social responsibility

Welskop-Deffaa, which has taken over the office of Peter Neher since November 2024, also advocated the protection of vulnerable groups during pandemic and emphasized the important role of Caritas in Germany. "The protection of the old people was a great achievement," she said. At the same time, she expressed concerns that the restrictions for the younger generation were not loosened quickly enough. "The obvious psychological stress of many young people today is certainly not detached from the Corona experiences," she added, and made it clear that careful reflection on errors in pandemic was necessary to be better prepared in future crises.

The Duisburg -born, who worked in the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs and on the board of ver.di, has formulated clear priorities for her term. Digitization, socially just climate protection and the strengthening of the social infrastructure are at the top of your agenda. Welskop-Deffaa promised to "relieve and prevent" as the new president of the largest German social association, which comprises over 740,000 employees and several hundred thousand volunteers. "I am pleased to write a next piece of innovation history with the association," she emphasized, appealing and appealing to open the church doors for more women in management positions and strengthen social cohesion, as on the website of the Caritas Bioceem can be read.