Anyone looking at the plenary hall of the Bundestag – the cool blue of the chairs, the mousy gray of the floor covering, the oversized federal eagle with its pointed beak in the background – probably doesn’t immediately think: This is a perfect place to fall in love. Sepp Müller and Wolfgang Stefinger should see it very differently. Union politicians are both members of Parliament. And made their love for each other public via tweets they posted at the same time.
“11 percent of all couples meet and love each other at work. Sometimes colleagues become friends. Friendship became love for us. We are happy. #loveislove,” it said. They also posted a photo in which they both smile and look at the camera. The Bundestag office of the CDU MP Müller, who is deputy chairman of the Union faction, confirmed the authenticity of the tweets. Stefinger belongs to the CSU.
The 33-year-old Müller was elected in the Wittenberg-Dessau constituency and has been a member of the Bundestag since 2017. The banker writes on his website: “I’ve been the proud father of a son since 2013, making me one of the youngest fathers in the Bundestag. The concerns of families with children and the young generation are therefore particularly important to me.” The 37-year-old Stefinger represents the Munich East constituency and has been a member of the Bundestag since 2013. In 2017, he was one of seven CSU MPs who voted for marriage for everyone.
Congratulations from colleagues
The reactions in the social networks followed immediately: the former Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) quoted the title of a song by Mary Roos and wrote: “Only love lets us live”. Union faction Vice Johann Wadephul (CDU) said: “What beautiful things can happen: Congratulations and all the best to you both!”. The foreign policy spokesman for the Union faction, Jürgen Hardt (CDU), wrote: “I am happy for you and wish you all the best. You are not only good politicians, but also valued colleagues across party lines!”
Further congratulations also came from the ex-CDU general secretary Paul Ziemiak, the CDU federal executive board member Serap Güler, the economic policy spokeswoman for the Union faction, Julia Klöckner (CDU), and the FDP domestic politician Linda Teuteberg.