New book: Mental health in politics
Democracy Under Psychological Pressure
Burnout, stress, and hate speech—the psychological strain on politicians is a taboo subject with very real consequences for our democracy. Furthermore, the conditions under which politics is conducted often remain invisible. Under what circumstances do people make decisions that affect us all? The mental health of those in political office is not a private matter—it is a fundamental issue of democratic infrastructure.
Chronic stress, time pressure, and constant hostility change how people judge, prioritize, and communicate. If political work is structurally organized in a way that can make people ill, those who remain are primarily the ones who can endure extreme burdens or who, at the very least, do not show when they can no longer cope. This puts diversity and representation under pressure. It also concerns the functionality of democratic institutions, as fewer and fewer people are willing to get involved in politics at all.
Many speak out publicly for the first time
Tannaz Falaknaz and Cécile Weidhofer spoke with, among others, Kevin Hönicke, Marina Weisband, Dr. Peter Tauber, Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, Bruno Hönel, Nico Semsrott, Ana-Maria Trăsnea, Muhanad Al-Halak, Ramona Schumann, Michael Roth, Maral Koohestanian, Ye-One Rhie, Torsten Pötzsch, Lena Christin Schwelling, Josephine Ortleb, Christine Klein, Martin Fuchs, Sabine Maur, Julia Post, Antje Kapek, Martin Gaedt, Ricarda Lang, Maximilian Schirmer, Katharina Simons, Anita Habel, Gerhard Hindricks, Marie-Florence Mahwera, Heidi Reichinnek, and Marco Bülow. Many of these interviewees are sharing their experiences and personal stories publicly for the first time.
Who’s Still Doing It?
The authors analyze a system under pressure and show which structures lead more and more politicians to withdraw from day-to-day business. Following conversations with elected officials at all political levels, experts from politics, civil society, business, and medicine—as well as people who have already stepped out of active politics—they ask: Who’s still doing it?
This book is a plea for more mindfulness, care, and sustainable structures in politics, and it encourages readers to advocate for change.
Further information
Wer macht’s noch? Warum wir über Mental Health in der Politik reden müssen by Tannaz Falaknaz and Cécile Weidhofer, Herder Verlag, 1st edition 2026, 288 pages, ISBN: 978-3-451-03717-7
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