Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer intervened in the dispute over the CDU local politician Robert Möritz from Saxony-Anhalt. The party leader and minister of defense emphasized her party's distance from right-wing extremists.
"We are resolute and uncompromising against all forms of right-wing extremism," Kramp-Karrenbauer said on a flight to a troop visit to Cyprus, according to news agencies. "Everyone has personal responsibility for this."
However, according to the reports, Kramp-Karrenbauer did not mention Möritz directly. Accordingly, it also remained unclear whether the CDU chairperson Möritz indirectly wanted to use her words to withdraw from his position on the board of the CDU district association Anhalt-Bitterfeld.
Möritz had conceded to his district association that he was working as a folder at a neo-Nazi demonstration eight years ago. He is also said to have a tattoo with a "black sun", which was used by the SS during the Nazi regime and consists of three swastikas, one on top of the other.
Until a few days ago he was also a member of the Uniter association, which is suspected of being right-wing extremists. Kramp-Karrenbauer also commented: "Everyone should be aware that membership in Uniter and wearing Uniter symbolism exposes you to suspicion that you are close to right-wing extremist networks and chats."
SPD general secretary Lars Klingbeil had previously accused the CDU of inaction in the case. It is "absolutely incomprehensible" that Kramp-Karrenbauer and CDU general secretary Paul Ziemiak "close their eyes with such clear signs of right-wing tendencies in their own ranks and only attract attention through silence," Klingbeil told the "Tagesspiegel".
The SPD sees the behavior of the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt as a "dam break to the right", emphasized the SPD general secretary. So far, however, no one in the CDU at state or federal level seems determined to do anything about it. This is "either naive or trivializing, in any case it is a problem and dangerous for the cohesion in our country", criticized Klingbeil.
The dispute over Möritz is weighing on the Kenya coalition of CDU, Greens and SPD that rules in Saxony-Anhalt. The CDU argues that Möritz has credibly distanced itself from its past, the SPD and the Greens doubt it.
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