#rp26 speaker Tülin Sezgin, Alina Kuhl & Anna Dushime: Bureaucracy meets reality
What is public administration like from the inside, and why does it seem so distant to many people on the outside? What does the future of the civil service look like in the digital age?
Tülin Sezgin and Alina Kuhl – two former civil servants – will be speaking with Anna Dushime at re:publica 26 about public administration: between expectations and digital transformation.
Both talk about what motivated them to join the civil service – and why they left it. They discuss everyday life in the public sector, baffling forms, trust, and the question of why digitalisation often progresses more slowly than anticipated and hoped for. They also address the role of social media in the civil service and how a sense of connection with citizens can be fostered.
In a personal, humorous and critical tone, the discussion focuses on myths, structural problems and the question of how public administration can better reflect the realities of people’s lives.
Tülin Sezgin, better known as “Conny from the Block”, is a German comedian, actress, author and self-proclaimed “bureaucracy influencer”. She gained widespread recognition for her incisive social media videos, in which she humorously satirises everyday life in German public administration and “typical German behaviour”. Before embarking on her career on stage and in front of the camera, Sezgin worked as a civil servant, amongst other things. She has appeared on programmes such as ZDF Magazin Royale, Reschke Fernsehen and MAITHINK X, as well as in the ZDFneo series “Späti” and the improv comedy show “Banausen” (ARD Kultur). Her first book, “Da bin ick nicht zuständig, Mausi”, was published in 2023.
Alina Kuhl is an activist, feminist and the founder of “The Monday Talks” – a series of events and a podcast format that creates a space for honest, accessible conversations on topics such as equality, mental health and sexual violence. With a background in social psychology and professional experience working within support services for women affected by violence, Alina brings in-depth knowledge and personal experience to her advocacy work. On Instagram and TikTok, she speaks openly and approachably about what is often kept hidden – directly, clearly and with the aim of breaking down social barriers.
Anna Dushime was born in Kigali, went to school in England, took her A-levels in the Lower Rhine region and studied in the Netherlands. As a columnist, she wrote regularly for the taz newspaper from 2019 to 2022 on dating, racism and everything in between. She has worked as a writer, presenter and editor-in-chief for, among others, the award-winning satirical programme Browser Ballett. Her show “Der letzte Drink mit Anna Dushime” (The Last Drink with Anna Dushime) won the Grimme Prize in the “Entertainment” category in 2024. Her book “1000 letzte Dates – wie ich die Liebe suchte und etwas Besseres fand” (1000 Last Dates – How I Sought Love and Found Something Better) was published by KiWi in October 2025 and became a SPIEGEL bestseller.