Status: 07.07.2021 10:24 p.m.
CDU boss Laschet never mentioned the name Maassen in the “Brigitte” interview. However, he distanced himself from the statements of his party colleague – and strengthened public broadcasting.
CDU boss Armin Laschet has distanced himself from the attacks by CDU Bundestag candidate Hans-Georg Maaßen. “Our stance on public broadcasting is crystal clear. Especially at a time like now, when there is so much fake news about the pandemic, a strong public broadcasting is important,” said Laschet at an event of the magazine “Brigitte”. “That is the position of the entire CDU,” added the CDU leader, who never once mentioned the name of the former President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
Maaßen, who had been nominated as a direct candidate by the CDU in southern Thuringia against the will of the party’s federal leadership, had brought journalists from the NDR close to left-wing extremists and called for a committee of inquiry. The CDU presidium had already clearly distanced itself from this. Laschet was quoted by participants as saying that Maaßen is damaging the party.
Laschet calls for a factual election campaign
The CDU leader made it clear, however, that there are very high hurdles for expulsion from the party. If someone has a different opinion, you have to make this clear. Laschet added to the criticism from the SPD, Greens and FDP that he was silent on the Maassen statements. You shouldn’t let the topics be forced on you.
The course of the CDU is also very clear, Laschet emphasized: “We have to maintain the course of the center. We have to delimit ourselves clearly to the right.” There will and cannot be any cooperation with the AfD.
Laschet also called for a factual election campaign without aggression. “I think we are conducting a factual, controversial election campaign, but we are not poisoning the climate, so that anyone who has to govern afterwards has a very difficult time reconciling society.” There are already “some outliers”, but he sees the will for fairness in the leadership of the other parties.