Overview

• Bundestag vice-president Bodo Ramelow proposed putting a new national anthem to a vote, favoring Bertolt Brecht’s Kinderhymne, and suggested a referendum on the black-red-gold flag via Article 146.
• Ramelow argued many East Germans do not sing the current anthem and said a new text could strengthen a shared national identity.
• CDU leaders, members of the Bundestagspräsidium, and other politicians criticized the idea and questioned Ramelow’s neutrality in his official role, while AfD figures derided the push as out of touch.
• Responding to the backlash, Ramelow said he felt misunderstood, affirmed he sings the current anthem with conviction, and stated he would vote for black-red-gold.
• Coverage shows public pushback in reader polls, and there has been no formal move to initiate an Article 146 process or any referendum.