Recommendations of the Editorial team
The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder is known for his activities in the relevant social media channels – especially for regular sausage homages on Instagram.
On Tuesday (February 17th), however, the CSU Prime Minister deviated from his culinary line and surprised his followers with a musical contribution: In a selfie video apparently taken during a flight, Söder presents a lip-synched performance of the Depeche Mode classic “People Are People”.
“It can be fun at Carnival,” wrote Söder about the clip. “Just don’t take everything too seriously today. Have a really good start to the day!” The short video shows the politician in a good mood while the sombre synth-pop hit plays in the background.
A song with a message
The choice of song caused discussions on various DM fan platforms. “People Are People” was released as a single in 1984 and marked Depeche Mode’s commercial breakthrough in Germany – it was their first number one hit in this country. The title was also used by ZDF as the theme song for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In terms of content, the song is a clear appeal for equality and tolerance: “So why should it be / You and I should get along so awfully?” – a question that is directed against exclusion and social division.
Especially against this background, many users rated Söder’s musical performance not only as a carnival joke, but also as a political statement – or at least as a potentially contradictory gesture.
From “Awesome DM!” to “unpleasant surprise”
The reactions in the comment columns of the forum depechemode.de ranged from amused to outraged. From enthusiastic “Awesome DM!” The spectrum ranged up to “Bad for Depeche Mode”. Some users made a direct connection between the lyrics of the song and Söder’s political work. A particularly critical voice spoke of an “unpleasant surprise” and referred to previous statements made by Söder during the Corona years that were perceived as harsh.
Other commenters were irritated by the choice of song: “He has no idea what’s fun and what’s not. I wonder how he came up with this song of all things…” it says. Others reacted much more relaxed.
One user noted that Söder was 17 years old when “People Are People” was released – so he may actually have been a fan from the very beginning: “Another DM fan that you probably wouldn’t have expected.” Another comment summed it up in a Bavarian, laconic way: “Well, if you like it!”
Pop culture as a political resonance space
Söder’s fun activity above the clouds shows once again how polarizing pop culture references are now in the political sphere – especially when they are used by actors whose political positions are controversially discussed. Songs like “People Are People” have long been more than just nostalgic 80s hits; they convey clear messages that are reread in the respective context.
