Economics Minister Aiwanger is criticized for his statements on the subject of vaccination.
Representatives of the Free Voters in Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen consider the current debate to be harmful.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
- The house blessing hangs crookedly in the state government: Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters), who is aspiring to the Bundestag, does not want to be vaccinated against the corona virus and has confirmed this with interview statements that are skeptical of vaccinations.
He received harsh criticism from Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) and accused him of fishing for votes in the camp of lateral thinkers and anti-vaccination opponents.
Aiwanger's stance is not well received everywhere in the free-voter ranks in the district - but the criticism is also directed against Söder.
Aiwanger's vaccination rejection "unhappy and not the right sign"
Regarding the assessment of Aiwanger's vaccination decision, District Councilor Susanne Merk, chairwoman of the District Association of Free Voters, is divided.
"A member of parliament also has personal rights - and that includes personal freedom of choice as to whether or not to be vaccinated," she says.
On the other hand, an economics minister must be asked about his role model function.
In this regard, she finds Aiwanger's attitude "unhappy and not the right sign for economic policy".
In this respect, she could understand Söder's criticism.
+
Susanne Merk, Chairwoman of the District Association of Free Voters.
© Arndt Pröhl
In any case, Merk makes it clear that the position of federal and state chairman can neither be transferred to the local free voters nor to the electorate.
“No, no, no,” says Merk energetically.
"Personally, I am definitely in favor of the vaccination," says the Gaißacherin, who has an appointment for her second dose in the coming week.
"We all want to get back to normal, and vaccination is a big step towards it." At the same time, respect her if someone does not want to be vaccinated.
And as far as the dispute between Söder and Aiwanger is concerned, the peasant woman speculates: "Perhaps it will relax after the federal elections."
"Have to call 60 people now so that someone else can come to the vaccination center"
Exactly the impression that an election campaign is being made with the topic of vaccination is what bothers the Free Voter District Administrator Josef Niedermaier most about the current debate.
In his view, when dealing with a sensitive topic such as vaccination, it is essential to adhere to “serious facts” and thus gain people's trust.
But if you - like Söder and Aiwanger - hang a political dispute on it, "then you can see what the result is on the ground: We now have to call 60 people so that someone else comes to our vaccination centers."
+
Josef Niedermaier (Free Voters), District Administrator of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.
© Arndt Pröhl
His criticism goes "in both directions" and is directed against Aiwanger's statements critical of the vaccination as well as against Söder's political pressure on the permanent vaccination commission to issue a vaccination recommendation for children.
"That doesn't correspond to my culture of values."
Aiwanger's stance cannot be broken down to free voters
Niedermaier also makes it clear that he has been vaccinated personally for vaccination and also himself.
He does not see a contradiction to his membership of the Free Voters in the dissent with the party chairman.
“If someone tells rubbish, you can't take the party into kin for it.
That's why I'm with the Free Voters, that I can say here, I don't like that. "
Konrad Specker is chairman of the District Association of Free Voters - that is, so to speak, the party organization that Free Voters need to participate in state and federal elections.
But here, too, he appreciates the fact that “no ideology is imposed” on you.
In this respect, the position of the federal chairman could not be broken down to the free voters as a whole.
Aiwanger to catch votes in the lateral thinker camp?
Konrad Specker criticizes black and white thinking
The Heilbrunner also considers the dispute between Söder and Aiwanger to be “harmful to the vaccination campaign”, which he himself is “quite positive”, says Specker.
Just like Aiwanger, however, Specker advocates that it should be left to everyone whether they want to be vaccinated or not, without pressure being built up.
It is not true that Aiwanger generally advised against vaccination, says Specker.
+
Konrad Specker, Chairman of the District Association of Free Voters.
© private
The district, district and municipal council finds it questionable when Söder accuses the deputy prime minister of targeting voices from the lateral thinker camp.
“I think that black and white thinking is bad.
There is only one for or one against, and one is quickly stamped. ”He himself was by no means a corona denier, but found it questionable how the corona policy dealt with the population and basic rights in some cases.
And in general, Specker does not think it is okay “that people are campaigning for health” - by Söder and Aiwanger.
Bad Tölz newsletter: Everything from your region!
Our brand new Bad Tölz newsletter informs you regularly about all the important stories from the Bad Tölz region - including all the news about the corona crisis in your community.
Sign up here.
