With an appeal for more objectivity in crisis situations, the Alliance of Science Organizations, of which the Leibniz Association is a member, has taken a position on statements made by the BILD newspaper. The newspaper continues its one-sided reporting and polemics against scientific expertise in 2021. In the long term, this could contribute to a climate of opinion in which scientists see themselves exposed to psychological and physical violence.
The appeal was prompted by an article that appeared in the BILD newspaper on December 4, 2021. The topic was the involvement of scientific expertise in times of the Corona pandemic. In this context, scientists were blamed and paraded for unpopular decisions to fight the pandemic.
The Alliance of Science Organizations condemns this practice as unacceptable. It "contradicts the basic rules of a free and open society as well as the fundamental principles of our democracy," it continues. In crisis situations, science must be able to freely contribute its expertise to support politics and society, it said.
The entire statement can be found here (in German).
PRIF has been a member of the Leibniz Association, which is part of the Alliance of Science Organizations, since 2009.
Further information on the Alliance (in German).