The dealings between the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt and the Christian-democratic local politician Robert Möritz caused violent criticism in their own party. "Swastikas have no home with us Christian Democrats," said CDU member of the Bundestag Uwe Schummer SPIEGEL. "Not one belongs in the CDU," said Schummer, who is the head of the workers' group in the Union's parliamentary group. "Clear demarcation from ethnic groups is part of democratic hygiene". According to Schummer, the same applies to the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt: "High firewalls against totalitarian forces, otherwise our house will be on fire".
Robert Möritz is an assessor in the CDU district association Anhalt-Bitterfeld. He was a folder at a neo-Nazi demo in 2011, has since become a member of the controversial "Uniter" association, and has a tattoo that is popular with right-wing radicals: several swastikas on top of each other. Neither the state nor its district association see reason to distance themselves from it.
This also alarmed the Minister of Science of Schleswig-Holstein, Karin Prien. "It is not a question of dealing with it locally, it is an issue that affects our entire party," the CDU politician told SPIEGEL. "From a regional board I expect professional dealings, clear distance and complete clarification," said Prien. She is Jewish, her maternal grandparents fled Germany during the Third Reich.
Also criticism from the Saxon CDU
Criticism also came from neighboring Saxony. "I follow the events in Saxony-Anhalt with a certain speechlessness," said CDU Bundestag member Marco Wanderwitz to the editorial network Germany (RND). Wanderwitz is chairman of the Saxon group of the Union parliamentary group. "I recommend that party friends in Saxony-Anhalt read history books and reports on the protection of the constitution," said Wanderwitz.
Other CDU members of the Bundestag made critical comments via Twitter, including Andreas Nick from Rhineland-Palatinate:
One thing has to be clear: For those responsible for a regional association of the @CDU, which should prove to be unwilling or unable to draw a clear border to right-wing extremism, there is more at stake than a regional coalition
- Dr. Andreas Nick (@DrAndreasNick) December 15, 2019The Möritz case caused violent turmoil in the Kenya coalition in Saxony-Anhalt after the Greens had asked the coalition partner CDU to take steps against the controversial local politician, whereas Secretary General Sven Schulze protested.
So far, there is no comment on the process from the Berlin CDU party headquarters. Most recently, General Secretary Paul Ziemiak sharply opposed possible talks between the Thuringian CDU and the AfD.
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