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CDU boss Armin Laschet is visiting moderators Linda Zervakis and Louis Klamroth for a ProSieben interview
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Richard Huebner / dpa
CDU leader Armin Laschet has protected the Bundestag candidate Hans-Georg Maaßen, who is also controversial within the party, from the anti-Semitism accusation of climate activist Luisa Neubauer.
"I have not yet perceived him as an anti-Semite," said the party chairman on Monday in the program "ProSieben special".
Neubauer had accused the former President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of sharing and disseminating anti-Semitic content.
As evidence, she cited, among other things, that Maaßen repeatedly used "problematic terms such as globalists" on his Twitter profile.
Laschet said he would deny that anyone using the word "is an anti-Semite inside".
This is what Neubauer claimed.
“And I think the evidence that came in was not enough.” The CDU chairman emphasized: “If you make such a harsh accusation - especially in these days when we are experiencing real anti-Semitism - you need other evidence than such linguistic. "
Do not set an end date for the combustion engine
In addition, the Union candidate for chancellor has spoken out against a state-set end date for the internal combustion engine on the TV show.
"I don't think we should set an exit date as a policy," said the 60-year-old.
"Allow technological developments," added Laschet.
North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister positioned himself differently than CSU boss Markus Söder.
At the beginning of May, this brought the year 2035 into play again as the end date for the internal combustion engine.
From 2030, the Greens no longer want to allow cars with gasoline or diesel engines.
Laschet also emphasizes again that he does not want to shake the coal phase that has been decided for East Germany.
"I can make it faster in North Rhine-Westphalia," he said.
"I just don't think that it can be affordable any faster in East Germany." It wasn't until 2020 that politicians agreed on a comprehensive compromise to phase out coal, together with structural aid for the regions particularly affected by the phase out, such as Lusatia.
Against term limits for Federal Chancellors
Laschet also rejected the demand made by the FDP in its election manifesto to limit the term of office of Federal Chancellors.
"The term of office is limited because after four years the voter says whether he still wants the chancellor or not."
To set a limit to two terms of office - this is what the FDP demands - is a "restriction of the citizen's decision-making rights," said Laschet.
"If the citizen thinks that a chancellor should make 16 years, then he should make 16 years."
mjm / dpa