Status: 31.08.2023, 19:51 p.m.
By: Mike Schier
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Hubert Aiwanger explains and apologizes. The support is enormous – the Free Voters have significantly more new members than normal.
Munich – It's a scene full of symbolic power: Hubert Aiwanger wants to move forward – but the press stands in his way. In front of the small stage in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, there are simply too many cameras waiting for the host. Only 55 minutes earlier, the invitation had gone out, but the journalists rushed over. Yesterday afternoon, Aiwanger did what many had been waiting for for days: he explained himself to the allegations surrounding his youth, and he apologized. After a minute and 40 seconds, it's all over.
After leaflet affair: Aiwanger apologizes
"Free Voters" boss Aiwanger relies in the election campaign on marquee appearances, closeness to the people and criticism of the Greens. © Daniel Löb/dpa
In fact, he had already tried it the day before. In typical Aiwanger fashion. Somewhere in the countryside, standing on a better dirt road, he spontaneously asserted that he had never been an anti-Semite. The minister always speaks freely – whether in the beer tent or in the state parliament. And most of the time it works fine. Aiwanger is a good speaker. But now, when every word has to be weighed carefully, the shot backfires. He admits that in adolescence "one or the other can be interpreted one way or another". And then: "I say: Since adulthood, the last decades – not an anti-Semite, not an extremist, but a philanthropist."
Aiwanger apologizes and distances himself from leaflet affair: "I am not an anti-Semite"
In the end, what remains is that he has not been an anti-Semite since adulthood. And before? Political professionals are throwing up their hands over their heads on Wednesday evening. That's what they call secondary errors. The first report – in this case the still unresolved leaflet allegations – cannot be changed. But after that, you shouldn't make any more mistakes. And then this dirt road appearance! A "catastrophe" they groan even in the top of the Free Voters.
That's why Aiwanger cancels all appointments as a minister on Thursday morning. Only the evening in the beer tent remains. There is symbolism in this, too, because there, at the grassroots level, are the allies. The feedback at the campaign booths is clearly pro-Aiwanger. According to information from our newspaper, since Saturday, when the allegations became public, there have been noticeably more membership applications than usual.
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Consequences for Free Voters: Is Aiwanger's statement enough?
Now, however, Aiwanger is sitting in front of journalists in the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Not a home game, although he is the host of the house. This time he reads (see box). There is not much he can remember. But he apologizes for his behavior in the past few days. Is that enough? Open. Even among the Free Voters, many believe that Aiwanger would have saved himself most of the trouble if he had appeared like this on Saturday. But he prefers to do things with himself.
At the back of the room, Michael Piazolo has taken a seat quite inconspicuously. Apparently, the Minister of Culture is one of those to whom Aiwanger listens this time. Bundestag group leader Florian Streibl praises the declaration almost relieved and assures: "In the future, all members of our parliamentary group will continue to keep the memory of the six million victims of the Shoah alive."
After Aiwanger's apology, questions remain unanswered
The opposition, of course, is not very satisfied. Many questions remain unanswered, criticizes Green parliamentary group leader Ludwig Hartmann. "For example, why he denies everything in the first place." The Greens, SPD and FDP have convened the so-called intermediate committee of the state parliament. It will meet next Thursday. He cannot dismiss the minister, but he could ask the prime minister to do so.
But that would require a majority – and the three parties are far from that. Behind the scenes, there is a discussion about whether there could be dissenters in the coalition camp. In the case of the CSU, there is still steam on the boiler. Internally, according to information from our newspaper, it is being considered to lift the group discipline. How many then raise their hands for Aiwanger?