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CDU boss and candidate for Chancellor Laschet
Photo: Jutta Prechtel / imago images / Political-Moments
The case of Hans-Georg Maaßen is causing displeasure in the CDU, once again controversial statements by the former head of the constitutional protection concern the party leadership.
According to SPIEGEL information, party leader Armin Laschet distinguished himself on Monday from recent statements by the former President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to control political attitudes in public broadcasting more closely.
At the meeting of the CDU federal executive committee, Laschet warned participants that the Union's currently good polls could tip at any time.
Statements like those of Maaßen are "not helpful".
Laschet continues: "Such debates harm us." CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak also kept his distance from Maaßen at the meeting.
"Our campaign topics are not conspiracy theories," he said, according to participants.
Maaßen caused serious irritation in the Union at the weekend after accusing the public broadcasters of “manipulating opinions” in an interview with the television broadcaster tv.berlin. Maassen said literally: “I think it's a shame that the supervisory authorities are doing this publicly -Not really correct legal broadcasting in this respect and make sure that something like this no longer takes place. "
He brought an "NDR committee of inquiry" into discussion, and he also demanded that the biography of some editors should also be checked to see whether they "also have the character aptitude" to work for the ARD "Tagesschau".
A number of CDU politicians were outraged.
Bernd Althusmann, head of the Lower Saxony CDU, said in the Tagesschau: "If the fundamental values of the party for which he wants to move into the Bundestag mean nothing to Mr. Maaßen, he should look for another party."
For the Union "freedom of the press is and will remain inviolable".
Dirk Toepffer, CDU parliamentary group leader in the Lower Saxony state parliament, appealed to Maaßen: "Resign and leave the CDU." Those who demand an attitude test for journalists, "fall back in the darkest of times.
That is incompatible with the values of the CDU «.
However, there are also voices in the CDU who reject Maassen's exclusion from the party.
He himself had spoken again on Sunday and acknowledged freedom of the press.
The matter is uncomfortable for Laschet because Maaßen, who is running for the Bundestag in southern Thuringia, has once again triggered irritation and outrage with statements and threatens to become a burden in the last few months up to the Bundestag election.
The CDU chief had hoped so far to be able to ignore Maaßen and its theories.
Laschet had initially remained silent about the latest statements, but had also come under pressure from within his own ranks.
The fact that Laschet in the leadership of the CDU is now taking a position on the cause can also be attributed to growing impatience in parts of the party leadership.
One should "not pass it over in silence," warned Tilman Kuban on Sunday, the head of the Junge Union.
At the meeting of the CDU executive committee, Laschet also renewed his no to any cooperation with the AfD.
"There will be no cooperation and negotiation with the AfD," he says, according to participants.
“We are very clear about that.
I expect every direct candidate to adhere to it. "
