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Lemke doesn't want to know anything about disempowerment in "Markus Lanz": "I won't get involved in this discussion"

2022-01-19T09:13:11.032Z


Lemke doesn't want to know anything about disempowerment in "Markus Lanz": "I won't get involved in this discussion" Created: 1/19/2022Updated: 1/19/2022 10:06 AM Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) in conversation with Markus Lanz (ZDF). © ZDF (Screenshot) Diplomacy lesson at “Markus Lanz”: Environment Minister Steffi Lemke does not want to spoil things either with China


Lemke doesn't want to know anything about disempowerment in "Markus Lanz": "I won't get involved in this discussion"

Created: 1/19/2022Updated: 1/19/2022 10:06 AM

Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) in conversation with Markus Lanz (ZDF).

© ZDF (Screenshot)

Diplomacy lesson at “Markus Lanz”: Environment Minister Steffi Lemke does not want to spoil things either with China or with her party leader.

Hamburg – “You are answering as if you are from the diplomatic service. What is your opinion on this?” Talkmaster Markus Lanz made it clear to Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) right at the beginning of his program that he would like more pithy answers. The topic is the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing* and their catastrophic ecological balance. "How do you react to this, specifically?" Lanz tries to do with Lemke, but the politician remains true to her diplomatic line: "I have also spoken out in the past about destruction caused by major sporting events, including other Olympic Games. I will continue to do so in the future.”

"And if you reproach me," Lemke continues, "I'm acting like the diplomatic protocol at this point: I think that we all see together that there are very, very difficult issues to be discussed on the diplomatic stage, on the international stage are.

I ask for your understanding that I don't bang in there with a crowbar." "What does that mean in translation?" Asks moderator Lanz and wants to know: "Would you go there if you had an invitation?" "The German government is in good shape canceled by the foreign and interior ministers,” Lemke replies, adding: “Of course, that also applies to me.

I would not travel, of course not.”

Environment Minister Steffi Lemke at "Markus Lanz": Thinking environmental and climate protection beyond the Olympics

"I have to say that I find the federal government a bit disappointing," says publicist Wolfram Weimer, explaining his point of view: "It's not just the rape of nature, there are also these massive human rights violations of the most brutal kind." Weimer therefore denies moral integrity: "It has nothing to do with a crowbar. That's the minimum." His demand of the traffic light coalition: "The federal government must join this diplomatic boycott of the British, the Americans, the Japanese and other partners. I would expect that.”

Lemke frowns thoughtfully before answering.

The federal government discusses questions of human rights violations and environmental destruction “not only in connection with the Olympic Games, but in every foreign policy contact.

This means that these issues are on the political agenda whenever a member of the Federal Government visits a foreign country.

I would be happy if that played a bigger role in the discussions.” Lemke cites Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) as an example, who has also committed himself to promoting climate protection in his function.

China is the subject of “Markus Lanz”: Correspondent Röller: “Xi Jinping is already changing the principles here”

Nevertheless, Weimer repeats his call for a formal, political boycott and speaks of a “minimum of decency under international law”. Lemke is losing patience a bit: "I have now explained twice that the interior minister and the foreign minister have canceled their participation. They're trying to relegate this to the realm of private choice. That's just wrong.” The journalist Ulf Röller, who added the video from Beijing, suspects that the Chinese “really don't care” whether or not German diplomats take part in individual cases.

Röller, on the other hand, points to the growing geopolitical importance of China*: "It's not so much about whether there is freedom of expression in China or not.

The German government will definitely not be able to change that.

But: Xi Jinping* is already changing our principles and freedom of expression.

You won't find a German car boss who dares to use the words 'labor camp' and 'Xinjiang'* in one sentence.” Hence his warning: “The Chinese have already found ways and means that we no longer stand by our principles .

That's the bigger picture and that's the issue that needs to be known.”

Ukraine and Taiwan threatened by Russia and China?

Journalist expresses a dark suspicion in "Markus Lanz".

When talk show host Lanz* then ponders aloud whether China's actions in Hong Kong* could serve as a blueprint for a possible subjugation of Taiwan*, journalist Johannes Hano says: "I travel a lot at the UN and talk to diplomats a lot.

A huge concern that UN diplomats have right now is that there could be some form of collusion between Russia and China.” If war breaks out in Taiwan and Ukraine at the same time, Hano says, “then there would be the west are pretty much on the fence.”

"Markus Lanz" - these were his guests on January 18:

  • Steffi Lemke (Greens)

    – politician

  • Wolfram Weimer

    – publicist

  • Ulf Röller

    – journalist

  • Johannes Hano

    – journalist

"Who actually talks to them when it comes to climate protection?", host Lanz replies to Environment Minister Lemke, addressing China's ecological balance.

Lemke explains that the novelty of the new government is that climate protection affects all ministries.

"My only question is, what is your job, Ms. Lemke?" the moderator continues to probe.

Lemke explains that her task is to prepare the international biodiversity conference.

"Does that mean you are responsible for species protection and not for climate protection?" Lanz asks.

"If you aim for very strict departmental responsibility," says Lemke, "then I'm responsible for climate protection and climate adaptation measures."

"Markus Lanz" investigates the alleged "disempowerment" of the Ministry of the Environment - Minister of the Environment Steffi Lemke: "It was necessary"

"You can try to tease me with the fact that climate protection has now moved from the department to the Ministry of Economics," Lemke says calmly and explains the decision: "It was necessary for the Federal Ministry of Economics to stop the old fight with the Ministry of the Environment lists climate protection. It was necessary for the Ministry of Agriculture to stop waging the old fight over the future of agricultural policy with the Ministry of the Environment.” When Lemke adds that she is not afraid of too few tasks and responsibilities, Lanz says: “For God’s sake, I want that Don't accuse them.” “Well, that's what it sounded like,” Lemke replies.

"It's about your function, you shouldn't feel attacked," explains Lanz, "but it's about the systemic." Lemke rolls his eyes and can't resist an annoyed "Oh God".

"Of course, the Ministry of the Environment has been disempowered," Weimer adds, referring to statements from the environment of politician Jürgen Trittin (Greens): "That is a disempowerment and humiliation of the Ministry.

You can also hear that from the ministry, the employees are dissatisfied.”

Environment Minister Steffi Lemke on "Markus Lanz": "I will not get involved in this discussion"

"My God," Lemke repeats in the direction of Weimer, "if the climate were really as important to you as a lot of tears have already been shed here, then you should see that it's better if the Ministry of Economic Affairs does climate protection and the Ministry of the Environment Climate protection does it and not just one of the two.” While Hano and Weimer then talk shop about what climate protection policy they would like the federal government to adopt, Lemke leans back and says: “I think you will have to get used to it that this federal government works differently than the previous government. There will be no permanent conflict between different departments." She does not want to get involved in debates about her person or her ministry: "Whether I am now disempowered, whether Mr. Habeck has something morewhether Ms. Baerbock will go to the international climate conferences – I will not get involved in this discussion.”

"Markus Lanz" - The conclusion of the show

"Markus Lanz"* spans an arc from Chinese geopolitics to German environmental policy on Tuesday evening.

The Olympics serve as a starting point for a look at German foreign and climate policy: While the China-experienced journalists Ulf Röller and Johannes Hano often agree, publicist Wolfram Weimer and Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) rarely agree.

Among other things, on the subject of nuclear power - Weimer: "The thing is coming back and we're left there stunned." Lemke, who can be attested to be a confident performer, questions this: "It hasn't been decided.

That's the discussion we're having right now.

That's why I'm glad that the German federal government has taken such a clear negative stance on nuclear power."

(Hermann Racke)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-01-19

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