Arne Semsrott | Countervailing power: Civil society strikes back

Away with powerlessness and doom and gloom – it’s time for a democratic counter-offensive!

Much of what the political activist Arne Semsrott described in his bestseller „Machtübernahme“ (Takeover) as a gloomy scenario of a right-wing conservative turnaround is already a bitter reality – and without any AfD participation in government. Under the CDU/SPD coalition, we are experiencing a harsh border regime, the degradation of financially disadvantaged people, attacks on democratic civil society, an end to climate protection and a politics of fear.

Stop the authoritarian turnaround

What can be done? In his new book, Arne Semsrott uses numerous concrete examples to show how we can move from the defensive to the offensive:

• strategic rights struggles,
• solidarity-based care work,
• our own spaces,
• courageous strikes and building collective power,
• civil society crisis aid,
• the fight for fair administration instead of cutting red tape for the rich,
• referendums,
• enthusiasm and humour.

This book proves it: We have all the tools we need to turn the tide. We just have to use them.

Arne Semsrott, born in Hamburg in 1988, is a political scientist and activist. He runs the research and transparency portal FragDenStaat, which he used to publicise the NSU files, among other things. He also founded the Freedom Fund, which he uses to free people from prison. Together with Gilda Sahebi, he hosts the podcast Gilda con Arne. Semsrott is a two-time winner of the Otto Brenner Prize for critical journalism. His bestseller Machtübernahme was published by Droemer in 2024.

The book can be purchased at the event (publication date: 01.06.2026)

The event will be interpreted into German sign language.

Tickets: €17.50, €15.00 reduced (excl. advance booking fee)

reduced (on presentation of appropriate ID):

• Pupils and trainees
• Participants in the Federal Voluntary Service
• students
• Jobseekers with benefits according to ALG I
• Severely disabled persons with a GdB of 50% or more and their equals

An event organised by the Fritz Bauer Forum in cooperation with Haus der Begegnung and Punktgenau – Forum for Political Education