Considerations in the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt on the future of the ARD main program, the first cause irritation: The Central German newspaper quotes the parliamentary director of the CDU parliamentary group, Markus Kurze, as saying that they support Minister of State Rainer Robra’s proposal to abolish the station as an independent channel in the long term. Kurz told the newspaper: “The ZDF would remain as a national broadcaster.” One knows “that we cannot implement this politically at the moment. But that is our long-term goal”.
The CDU faction shared as reaction to the report however, that it was not decided at their closed meeting to switch off the ARD main program. There was never any talk of a “current shutdown of the first”, nor was it decided. “The core of the proposal was that the first one serves as a showcase for the regions and the ZDF as a nationwide broadcaster.” the Central German newspaper writes that she has the Kurzes statement on “long-term abolition” in writing.
Referring to the public service broadcaster, Kurz said, according to the newspaper: “We believe that in public service broadcasting, minority opinions are often stronger than the opinion of the majority.” He went on to say: “For example, the broadcasters should not only let those who still want more and more climate protection have their say, but also those who have to pay for it.”
The debate about public service broadcasting has a history in Saxony-Anhalt
The political federal director of the Greens, Michael Kellner, wrote about the report on Twitter: “The CDU Saxony-Anhalt is once again turning freely to the right – an intact public broadcasting service is a cornerstone of our democracy”.
The then black-red-green government of Saxony-Anhalt was almost broken at the end of 2020 in a dispute about increasing the broadcasting fee. The CDU strictly rejected the increase, but the coalition partners SPD and Greens wanted to support it. In order to prevent the CDU parliamentary group from blocking the increase in the state parliament with the votes of the AfD, Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) had withdrawn the decision from the state parliament and thus ensured a veto by Saxony-Anhalt without the parliament having voted on it. The CDU now governs with SPD and FDP.