SPD politician went viral: “I don’t see a reason to apologize”

Philip da Cunha
SPD politician gives the same answer ten times and goes viral: “I don’t see a reason to apologize”

The SPD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is criticized for handling faction funds. A speaker did not want to give any information about the costs after an event and went viral with the interview – he always answered the question in the same way. The star asks for.

It doesn’t take much to grab the attention of the internet these days. Sometimes the exact same answer ten times is enough. Maybe it’s the summer. But maybe it’s also because the Norddeutscher Rundfunk had the chutzpah to do a four-minute interview with the To publish SPD politician Philipp da Cunha from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania uncut.

“I have to admit that I didn’t expect such a publication at the time of the interview,” says da Cunha now star, who actually wanted to speak directly to the politician. But da Cunha made reference to his tight schedule several times and ultimately only replied in writing.

The background is a citizens’ forum of the SPD

The said NDR video interview is about a local political event of the SPD state parliamentary group in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on the evening of June 27th. 250 guests, consisting of employees, volunteers and party officials, have been invited to the “Golchener Hof”, a four-star hotel in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district. SPD Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig is also honored.

A week later, the NDR asks for more details. The reason for this is the suspected high bill. “How expensive was the evening, Mr. Cunha?” NDR reporter Klaus Göbel asks several times. Ten times, to be precise. The parliamentary manager of the SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament answers: “The SPD in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has been organizing citizens’ forums throughout the state for 15 years in order to get into conversation with the citizens”. That too ten times. He doesn’t answer the actual question about the costs until the reporter, a little annoyed, breaks off the interview.

Subsequent reporting includes, among other things, the full four-minute video in which da Cunha repeats this response. It’s going viral these days. Reactions range from amused to insulting. The prevailing disenchantment with politics is no wonder given such talks.

At the time of the conversation, the complete cost overview was simply not available, says the SPD politician star. After submission, one day after the interview, the party communicated immediately. It is now known that the evening cost the SPD – and thus the taxpayers – 15,000 euros.

Philipp da Cunha finds the video to be taken out of context: “Anyone who sees the uncut video, which for whatever reason was played without any context or history, is now displayed on Twitter, for example, should naturally classify it as not very enlightening.”

So he understands the angry reactions. The interview was unfortunate in its effect, but from his perspective it would not lead to disenchantment with politics. “I don’t see any reason to apologize for the video. The fact that the question-and-answer loop was shared online without context is not my responsibility.”

However, it is also true that the NDR has extensively embedded the conversation on its own channels and certainly offers context. If only this interview is shared on social networks, it is probably not just the broadcaster that is responsible. Da Cunha is by no means the only politician who has not answered repeated inquiries from a journalist – only his (non-)answers have become public this time.

The venue belongs to the husband of the SPD vice parliamentary group leader

Another critical aspect: The “Golchener Hof” belongs to the husband of SPD deputy leader Christine Klingohr, who still links to the hotel on her website. According to the taxpayers’ association in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, this is not illegal, but from the outside it looks at least unfortunate. But there were no other places, says da Cunha dem star: “The alternative to holding the Golchener Hof would have been not to hold the citizens’ forum.” Christine Klingohr herself was not involved in the decision.

Incidentally, the SPD politician thinks the costs for this evening are reasonable, he repeats stardemand, and: “We have been inviting socially active people from the regions to these citizens’ forums for 15 years – as half of the German-speaking Twitter users now know” – this commitment is not something that can be taken for granted. The last part of the answer might have been helpful on Twitter as well.

Sources: Twitter, NDR, NDR North Magazine, Christine Klingohr