The Federal President wants to give consolation in the flood area.
While Steinmeier expresses dismay, Armin Laschet, who stands behind him, laughs.
What does that say about the Union's candidate for chancellor?
Berlin - Spotty interview answers, a slipped mask - there are mishaps in the life of a chancellor candidate that cause excitement for a day and then are forgotten again.
The slip on Saturday, when North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Armin Laschet laughs at the inopportune moment during a visit to Erftstadt, could be such a case. Perhaps the CDU chairman will be hurt in the long term by the discussion it has triggered about whether he has the format to lead the next federal government. She meets him at an inopportune moment. Because in the voter polls things have recently been up a bit for the Union.
What actually happened Last Thursday, the NRW head of government telephoned Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. You talk about the difficult situation in the disaster area in western Germany, where dozens of people had already been rescued from the masses of water. Laschet invites Steinmeier to visit the region. An appointment on Saturday in Erftstadt will be arranged.
Huge landslides have occurred in the Blessem district. Three houses and part of the historic castle collapsed. The extent of the devastation is shocking. People are in terrible uncertainty about the fate of missing relatives or face the worst. Laschet and Steinmeier speak to the emergency services. Then the Federal President steps in front of the microphones of the waiting journalists. He expresses his condolences to those affected. Martin's horns repeatedly sound in the background. Fire brigade vehicles rush past. Steinmeier says: "We mourn with those who have lost their friends, acquaintances, family members - their fate tears our hearts apart". Shortly afterwards you can see Laschet, who is standing around ten meters behind Steinmeier with a district administrator and others in a small group.He laughs.
Outrage on Twitter
Cameramen capture the moment.
When the video also spreads on social media, many people react indignantly.
“A question of character,” says SPD Vice Kevin Kühnert on Twitter.
The pianist Igor Levit writes that he could think of two candidates for chancellor "to whom such undignified behavior would not have happened".
Tweet with video
The SPD chancellor candidate, Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, spoke with his party colleague Malu Dreyer, Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, to those affected in Bad Neuenahr about the consequences of the flood disaster. On Sunday he travels to an appointment with Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) in Berchtesgadener Land, where a disaster has also been declared after heavy rain. Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock initially only expressed her sympathy in writing. She went to the affected regions of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia later than other top politicians and without the press.
Laschet later announced that he regretted "the impression created by a conversation situation".
And admits: "This was inappropriate and I'm sorry." The CDU chairman emphasizes: "The fate of those affected is close to our hearts, which we have heard about in many conversations." In fact, after Steinmeier left, Laschet left still in an emergency shelter.
With a serious expression he listens to the people who talk about the horrors of the past few days.
Tweet Laschet
Later, from the group that laughed with Laschet, the district administrator of the Rhein-Erft district, Frank Rock, reports.
He speaks of a stressful, emotionally charged situation and explains: “If I have hurt people's feelings with it, I apologize expressly.
Even the district administrator is only human and makes mistakes. "
Green reluctance
There are also people who defend Laschet, who is under enormous pressure as an election campaigner and head of the state government in the disaster area, against criticism. One of them is the former CDU member of the Bundestag Ruprecht Polenz. He writes on Twitter: “Laschet made a mistake. He apologized. Now there is criticism that he only apologizes for "the impression". The impression that was created: Laschet laughs at the suffering (read in dozens of comments). This impression could arise - but it was wrong. ”Others think that there should be no laughing ban anywhere, not even on sad occasions.
The bottom line remains: rescue operations, compassion and practical help for the people in the disaster area have determined the past few days.
A top politician who is on site at such moments of shock, anger and sadness needs to be very sensitive.
Because a new Bundestag will be elected in a good two months.
Nobody should expose themselves to the suspicion that they are abusing destroyed villages with crying people as an election campaign backdrop.
This is probably one of the reasons why the Greens, who have been warning more vehemently than any other German party of the fatal effects of climate change for years, have held back for the time being.
Because unlike the father of the country, Laschet, Baerbock has no specific task to perform in the disaster area.
In addition, righteousness is never well received and, given so many fatalities, it would appear disrespectful.
dpa
