There have recently been new allegations against Hubert Aiwanger almost every day. But Bavaria’s Prime Minister Söder is currently holding on to his deputy. At the same time, he has a clear message for the political competition.
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) is sticking to his deputy Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) despite the allegations surrounding an anti-Semitic leaflet. In his view, a dismissal would not be proportionate, said Söder in Munich. However, the CSU boss criticized Aiwanger’s crisis management.
At the same time, Söder asserted that he wanted to stick to the coalition with the Free Voters. “There will definitely be no black and green in Bavaria.” Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) accused Söder of acting out of “simple power calculations”. There are state elections in Bavaria in five weeks.
25 questions and a long conversation
The Bavarian state government published the 25 questions Söder asked Aiwanger and his answers on Sunday immediately after the press conference. For more than a week, new allegations had been made against the free voter boss. On Saturday a week ago, he initially denied in writing that he had written an anti-Semitic leaflet during his school days that the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” had reported on. At the same time, however, he admitted that “one or a few copies” were found in his school bag. Shortly thereafter, Aiwanger’s older brother claimed to have written the pamphlet.
Aiwanger apologized publicly for the first time on Thursday. At the same time, the head of the Free Voters counterattacked, complaining about a political campaign against him and his party – which immediately brought him new allegations, for example from the Central Council of Jews. Aiwanger then answered the questionnaire in writing by Friday evening.
Söder said he also had a long conversation with his deputy. Aiwanger’s crisis management was “not very happy”. He should have clarified the allegations earlier, more decisively and more comprehensively, said Söder. Aiwanger’s apology and distancing came late, but not too late. Now Aiwanger must regain lost trust and seek talks with Jewish communities, Söder demanded.
The prime minister said the allegations were serious. The leaflet was “particularly disgusting, disgusting, inhuman and absolute Nazi jargon”. He had weighed carefully and wanted to find a fair process. It was important to him not to decide based solely on media reports and not to want to make prejudice, said Söder. In the overall consideration, a dismissal from the office would not be proportionate from his point of view.
Five crucial points
Söder basically justified his decision with five points: “Firstly, he probably made serious mistakes in his youth, which he also admitted. Secondly, he apologized for it, distanced himself from it and also showed remorse.” Second, he apologized and showed remorse. “Third: To this day, there is no proof that he wrote or distributed the leaflet, but there is his very clear statement that it was not him. Fourth: Since the incident back then, there has been nothing comparable. Fifth: That The whole thing is actually 35 years ago. Hardly any of us are still the same as we were when we were 16,” said the Prime Minister
Fierce criticism of Söder’s decision came from the Bavarian opposition. SPD state leader Florian von Brunn spoke of a “sad day for the reputation of Bavaria in Germany and the world”. Greens’ top candidate Ludwig Hartmann told the dpa that Söder “made a bad deal for our beautiful Bavaria today.”
Federal politicians also criticized Söder’s decision. Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) told the German Press Agency with regard to Aiwanger: “It is one thing to possibly get lost as a young person, to make yourself a victim as a responsible politician and to shake the democratic foundations because of the staging, that is other.” A limit has been crossed. Against this background, Söder’s decision was “unfortunately not a good one.”
Federal Minister of the Interior Faeser, who is the SPD top candidate in the state elections in neighboring Hesse, told the editorial network Germany (RND): “Mr. Söder did not decide out of attitude and responsibility, but out of simple power calculations.”
Dealing with anti-Semitism should not be a tactical question. “Mr. Aiwanger has neither apologized convincingly nor been able to convincingly clear up the allegations.” Instead, he declares himself a victim “in an unspeakable way”. In doing so, he “doesn’t think for a second of those who are still massively suffering from anti-Semitism today. This is how borders are shifting that shouldn’t be shifted.” Faeser continues: “The fact that Mr. Söder allows this damages the reputation of our country.”
Visit from Aiwanger to concentration camp memorials demanded
The federal government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, suggested that Aiwanger visit the Dachau concentration camp memorial. “It would now be a good sign if he not only sought dialogue with the Jewish communities, but also with the memorials in Bavaria and strengthened their important work, for example by visiting Dachau. In doing so, he would be fulfilling his role model function as a responsible politician.” , Klein told the RND.
The President of the Jewish Community in Munich and Upper Bavaria, Charlotte Knobloch, said: “He must restore trust and make it clear that his actions are democratically and legally sound.”
The fact that Söder is currently sticking with Aiwanger is likely to be related in particular to the state elections on October 8th. Even if the CSU and Free Voters want to continue their coalition, Söder recently said that coalitions “did not depend on a single person”. And: “It’s the same with or without a person in the state office.” However, the Free Voters stand firmly by their leader.
In election campaign appearances, Aiwanger was celebrated again on Sunday, despite the affair. Aiwanger said at a performance in Grasbrunn: “I am happy that we can continue to work politically, and in this sense I continue to work for Bavaria.”