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Spahn criticizes Merz's statement about the sexuality of politicians

2020-09-21T14:28:53.676Z


Would he have a problem with a gay chancellor? "No," says Friedrich Merz in an interview. But his further statement brings him criticism - also from his own party.


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Friedrich Merz

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Jo "!. Ã ¼rgen Heinrich / imago images / Jürgen Heinrich

According to statements in an interview with the "Bild" newspaper, the candidate for the CDU chairmanship, Friedrich Merz, sees himself exposed to allegations of homophobia.

When asked whether he would have reservations about a homosexual man becoming Chancellor today, Merz initially said briefly in the live conversation: "No."

When the moderator asked whether a homosexual head of government was "completely normal" for Merz, the CDU politician added: "I'll put it this way about the question of sexual orientation, that is none of the public's business moved and as long as it does not concern children - at this point, however, an absolute limit has been reached - it is not an issue for public discussion. "

When asked again whether a gay chancellor was "not a taboo", Merz said: "Not an issue for me at all."

Party colleague and Health Minister Jens Spahn reacted to the statements of the CDU politician.

When asked about Merz's statements at a press conference, Spahn said: "Well, if the first association with homosexuality is legal issues or pedophilia, then you should rather ask Friedrich Merz, I would say."

Spahn, who is married to a man, did not comment further - but the statement can be understood as a barely concealed criticism.

The Minister supports the North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Armin Laschet in the race for the CDU chairmanship.

The deputy SPD chairman Kevin Kühnert, who had expressed himself in the past about his own homosexuality, criticized on Twitter: "This is how someone works who cannot hide the fact that he cannot really do anything with the normalization of dealing with homosexuality."

SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil commented: "Friedrich would like to be picked up from the last century."

In the "Bild" newspaper, Klingbeil later added: "A clear apology is due."

Merz's spokesman Armin Peter countered a Twitter comment that saw the statements equating gay and pedophile.

"That claim is malicious and downright false," wrote Peter on Twitter.

"Friedrich Merz said: 'Sexual orientation is none of the public's business as long as it is within the framework of the law and as long as it does not affect children'. That applies to straight people, homos and everyone else."

In an interview with the "Welt", Merz then said that he was assumed to have "a maliciously constructed connection", "which does not appear in any of my statements".

The tolerance limit is always exceeded when children are affected, "and we have seen enough hideous things lately," said Merz.

How he got from the question of a gay chancellor on this subject remained unanswered.

The CDU politician also emphasized that he did not evaluate anyone in his work environment or in his circle of friends and acquaintances "on the basis of their sexual orientation".

That is a private matter.

"In a liberal society there are different ways of life," said Merz.

In the past, however, Merz had repeatedly attracted attention with homophobic comments.

In 2001 he told the "Bunte" about Berlin's then ruling mayor Klaus Wowereit (SPD): "As long as he doesn't approach me, I don't care!"

In a speech to thousands of CDU supporters in Oberhausen, Merz once said that he had nothing against gay marriage - "as long as I don't have to participate".

When he made his comeback in politics in 2018, Merz said: "Sexuality is a private matter. Our society has become more tolerant."

And that's a good thing, added Merz - an allusion to a well-known quote from Wowereit.

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mes / dpa

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-09-21

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