Politicians react to Söder’s support for Hubert Aiwanger

leaflet affair
“A shame in Bavaria”: Politicians react to Söder’s support for Aiwanger

After days of back and forth, Markus Söder has now provided clarity: the Bavarian Prime Minister is holding on to his Minister of Economics Hubert Aiwanger – despite the affair about an anti-Semitic pamphlet from his school days.

In his view, a dismissal would not be proportionate, said Söder at a press conference in Munich called on Sunday morning. Before making his decision, he had a long conversation with Aiwanger. Its crisis management was “not happy”. Aiwanger’s apology was “not too late”. The CSU boss made it clear that the matter was off the table from his point of view.

It was not surprising that Söder wanted the affair off the table about a month before the state elections in Bavaria. In the opposition, Söder’s decision is, of course, met with fierce criticism. The reactions at a glance.

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Bavaria’s SPD leader speaks of “a sad day for the reputation of Bavaria”

Bavaria’s SPD leader Florian von Brunn described the whereabouts of the Vice Prime Minister as a “sad day for Bavaria’s reputation in Germany and the world”. “The fact that the CSU under Markus Söder accepts an active right-wing populist and formerly a right-wing radical activist as a deputy in the government is a negative high point in the history of post-war Germany,” wrote the SPD top candidate for the state elections on X (formerly Twitter).

Markus Söder’s conditions were clear: “It has to be an isolated case. However, the last few days have not shown an isolated case, but a rule.” Mr. Aiwanger’s apologies were too late, too incomplete and too unreasonable. The attacks and accusations against the media are incompatible with freedom of the press and with the Bavarian constitution. “Someone like that is not a deputy, but a disgrace to Bavaria.” It is now clear to the citizens of Bavaria that the CSU under Markus Söder is not only blinking to the right, but also waving to the right, said von Brunn. “The BayernSPD was, is and will remain the bulwark against the right in the Free State of Bavaria.”

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser also described the decision as damaging to Germany’s reputation. “Mr. Söder did not decide out of attitude and responsibility, but out of simple power calculations,” she told the editorial network Germany (RND). Dealing with anti-Semitism shouldn’t be a tactical question, said Faeser, adding: “Mr. Aiwanger has neither apologized convincingly nor been able to dispel the allegations convincingly.” 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.”

Greens and FDP rail against Söder’s decision

The Greens see it very similarly. Group leader Katharina Schulze attacked Söder sharply. After all, it is the Prime Minister’s job to avert damage to the country. “The mere appearance of anti-Semitism in the state government damages Bavaria’s reputation,” she tweeted. Her co-chairman Ludwig Hartmann put it more succinctly: “Tactics come before attitude at Markus Söder,” he wrote at X:

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck also sharply criticized Söder’s decision. “Possibly getting lost as a young person is one thing, making yourself a victim as a responsible politician and shaking the democratic foundations because of the staging is another,” said the Greens politician at the German Press Agency in Berlin. “There’s a line crossed.” Against this background, Söder’s decision was “unfortunately not a good one,” explained Habeck. “It’s not about the youthful sins of his coalition partner, but ultimately about the basic consensus of this republic, which every federal and state government must fully protect.”

Bavaria’s FDP boss Martin Hagen is also anything but satisfied with Söder’s backing for Aiwanger. The prime minister “apparently lacks the strength to make a clear decision,” he wrote. He is curious to see what Aiwanger will do with such a “free pass”. His answers to the questionnaire previously asked by Söder also did not convince him. “Instead of sincerity and remorse, we experience memory gaps and defiant media scolding,” Hagen continued. The Bavarian state government published the 25 questions and answers after the press conference.

CSU stands behind Söder

Meanwhile, Söder has received approval from within its own ranks. “The Prime Minister’s decision is correct – a dismissal would have been disproportionate. I would have wished for Hubert Aiwanger to have communicated much better in the crisis,” said Ilse Aigner, CSU politician and President of the State Parliament. “Timely, clear, honest statements – even if the suspicion was reported was so tenuous – and a faster distancing from this disgusting pamphlet would not have led to this unspeakable impasse, which harmed Bayern overall.”

Aigner also said: “His statements on democracy in the run-up to the leaflet affair were not exactly helpful for a classification of what happened 36 years ago.” Aiwanger said at a rally in Erding in June that the silent majority had to “take back democracy”.

Aiwanger sees himself as a victim of a political witch hunt

Aiwanger himself described the allegations in the course of the leaflet affair almost at the same time as a failed political campaign against him. There is no reason to fire him, he wrote on X. “We now have to “go back to our day-to-day work for our country,” Aiwanger continued:

“It was a dirty mess,” Aiwanger said shortly before during an election campaign appearance in a beer tent in Grasbrunn (Munich district). “The Free Voters should be weakened.” But the party was “reinforced” by the allegations, said Aiwanger. “We have a clean conscience.” His opponents have failed with their “dirty campaign”.

The parliamentary group of the free voters welcomed Söder’s support unsurprisingly. “We are glad that the Bavarian coalition will continue to work for our country in a stable and unanimous manner,” said Free Voter parliamentary group leader Florian Streibl, according to a statement. “We are of the opinion that Hubert Aiwanger bears no political responsibility whatsoever for the irresponsible and completely unacceptable actions of a family member more than three decades ago.”

A new state parliament will be elected in Bavaria on October 8th. The CSU and Free Voters have always stated that they want to continue their coalition after the election. Söder confirmed this again on Sunday.

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated.

yks
DPA