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"Is that Germany's official position?" Lanz covered the broadcast because the FDP guest unpacked the Ukraine question

2022-01-29T05:29:32.301Z


"Is that Germany's official position?" Lanz covered the broadcast because the FDP guest unpacked the Ukraine question Created: 2022-01-29 06:18 The talk show on “Markus Lanz” (ZDF). © ZDF (Screenshot) The "Markus Lanz" round experienced a combative final appearance by Paul Ziemiak as CDU general secretary. He passionately debated with FDP man Alexander Graf Lambsdorff. Hamburg – “Today you are


"Is that Germany's official position?" Lanz covered the broadcast because the FDP guest unpacked the Ukraine question

Created: 2022-01-29 06:18

The talk show on “Markus Lanz” (ZDF).

© ZDF (Screenshot)

The "Markus Lanz" round experienced a combative final appearance by Paul Ziemiak as CDU general secretary.

He passionately debated with FDP man Alexander Graf Lambsdorff.

Hamburg – “Today you are back in detective mode,” says the outgoing CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak with mock indignation.

Talkmaster Markus Lanz drills right at the beginning of the show in his own way into the matter of the Union parliamentary group chairmanship.

"The political scoop of the day," the host comments on Ralph Brinkhaus's resignation and Ziemiak nods.

"When did you hear about it?" Lanz wants to know.

"Yes, well," says Ziemiak, waving his hand, "so shortly before".

Lanz: "What does shortly before mean?" Ziemiak evades: "Some time before."

Ralph Brinkhaus relinquishes parliamentary group chairmanship – did CDU General Secretary Ziemiak know nothing?

“You are the CDU general secretary. They're going to call you right away, aren't you?" Lanz asks. "It doesn't matter," says Ziemiak, but when Lanz* asks if Brinkhaus called him himself, he answers: "No, he didn't call me." Ziemiak's answer seems almost dreamy, he pauses for a moment, before he says in the direction of the moderator: "So, now you've done it again, Mr. Lanz." "That means you didn't know anything about it this afternoon?" Lanz continues, unimpressed.

"Well, that's how it is," replies Ziemiak, "we talk to each other..." Lanz interrupts: "Who is 'man'?" Exasperated, the CDU politician throws his hands in the air just a few minutes after the start of the show: "With Colleagues, stop now.

You're here again - that's another typical Lanz question.

When I say afternoon, we're talking about the times.” “I just want to understand how close you are to power in the CDU,” Lanz says innocently.

Ziemiak: "In this question it was a question that was discussed between Friedrich Merz and Ralph Brinkhaus.

I think it's good when you solve something like this together."

CDU General Secretary: Ziemiak has long been clear that he must vacate his post

The new Secretary General of the CDU is called Mario Czaja * from Monday.

"How do you like it?" asks talk show host Lanz.

"Good, very good," replies Ziemiak curtly.

“What can he do better than you?” Lanz adds.

"Others have to judge that," says Ziemiak, who seems to take the personnel developments of the past few weeks in a sporting manner: "It was clear that a new board would be elected.

And then it was clear, there are teams.

And that's why it was clear to me at that moment that it wouldn't be me.

Why not alone?

Two Catholic men from the Sauerland is not such a big expansion of the offer." "That wasn't a problem with Armin Laschet* either," Lanz interjects, "there were only men from North Rhine-Westphalia".

Ziemiak laughs and says: “Not everyone always liked it.

"What mistakes were made?" asks Lanz.

"Many," Ziemiak replies dryly.

Lanz is not satisfied with that and asks: "What was bad?

The candidate?

The campaign?

Or the communication?” “I think the main topic was …”, Ziemiak begins and counts: started the election campaign too late, the quarrel between Armin Laschet (CDU) and Markus Söder* (CSU), the mask affair, Mistakes in the election campaign.

Conclusion: "A lot came together." "When was it clear that things would go wrong, that you could lose?" Lanz continues to ask.

“I think in August,” Ziemiak looks back, “there was a day in August when the SPD overtook us.

It wasn't about the number at all, but you could see the mood."

"Markus Lanz" - these were his guests on January 27th:

  • Paul Ziemiak (CDU)

    – politician

  • Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (FDP)

    – politician

  • Mariam Lau

    – journalist

  • Margarete Klein

    – political scientist

Afterwards, the group, but above all Ziemiak and the FDP politician Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, discussed the obligation to vaccinate.

"We have two who orientated themselves yesterday," Lanz introduces the topic.

Lambsdorff is initially matter-of-fact: "To be honest, I'm not more confused after the orientation debate, but I'm still not one hundred percent sure where I'm going.

There were many good arguments, also from the point of view of freedom for compulsory vaccination.” “That means you won't commit yourself tonight?” asks Lanz.

"No," replies Lambsdorff, and raises concerns: "Do you really want to record the health data of all citizens in a state register?

We have never done it that way for good reasons, at least nationwide.

These are questions that we are still discussing with each other.”

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach? Paul Ziemiak: "He's with Markus Lanz three times a week"

"That's not how it works in a democracy.

We had a Bundestag election, elected a German Bundestag and now there is a federal government.” “Zack, now you're in the opposition, let's get started,” interjects Lanz.

"Yes, let's get started," replies Ziemiak in an energetic voice: "We have a federal minister who visits 'Markus Lanz' three times a week.

And tells you exactly how to do it three times a week.

And now he says: As Minister of Health, he has no opinion on this.

That's absurd.

A federal government that says: 'On this important issue we have no opinion'.

And now it comes: The MPs should meet for coffee, that was the federal government's suggestion, and brainstorm together what laws could look like."

"Now you're downplaying the work of the MPs," Lambsdorff interjects, but Ziemiak can't be stopped and just keeps talking: "Graf Lambsdorff just mentioned the proposals and they are all proposals from the traffic light coalition, a complete mess.

I'll tell you what I think: I'm in favor of as many people as possible being vaccinated and I think that the obligation to vaccinate should be as high as possible in order to participate in as many things as possible." Lambsdorff counters: "There are certain medical-ethical issues Questions.

Assisted suicide, organ donation, abortion.

It has traditionally been the case that the German Bundestag does not vote according to parliamentary groups, but that the members of parliament, with the technical support of the ministries, present various drafts in order to get things done legally.

Compulsory vaccinations: a question of medical ethics or not?

Markus Lanz jumps to the side of Minister of Health Lauterbach

Ziemiak thinks: “This example doesn't work.

Because Jens Spahn had a clear opinion on the question of organ donation.

He had also submitted an application and campaigned for it.

He had an opinion on it.” “Karl Lauterbach* does that too,” says Markus Lanz, “he also promotes it.

He sits here three times a week and that's why I know exactly how he argues".

When Paul Ziemiak waves his hand, the moderator energetically takes the side of the health minister: "He says, if we give the decision to parliament, then I, as the responsible minister, and my people have to, then we will make everything we have available in terms of data and have facts, like a large research network.

But of course I have to be neutral when Parliament decides.

That's what he says

"No, he's not right at all," says Ziemiak.

"Yes, if it goes like this, yes.

Whether that's right, that it works that way, is something else.

We can argue about that," counters Lanz.

"Mr. Lanz, Mr. Lanz, with all due respect," says Ziemiak, "if we have a military question to clarify: do we send German soldiers somewhere?

Imagine the defense minister saying: 'I'll give you the defense ministry as a research network, as a minister I have to behave neutrally.'” Lanz then falls silent, Count Lambsdorff says: “No, that's something different.

You can't compare that."

Ukraine debate at "Markus Lanz" - Lambsdorff: "No option off the table in case of an attack"

The FDP and opposition politicians only agree again when it finally comes to Ukraine.

"It's a clear threat that you're trying to implement the demands you have.

And they are not limited to Ukraine, but that's just the culmination point," says political scientist Margarete Klein, prompting Ziemiak and Lambsdorff to nod together, the latter saying: "That's the point." Klein continues: "Ultimately it's about the big, really unresolved questions of the European security order, where basic principles clash on both sides that are not really compatible.” “That's the way it is,” agrees Graf Lambsdorff quietly.

Ziemiak thinks that Putin should be told: "It will be very, very expensive for you politically." "What does that mean?" asks Lanz and speculates, "Nord Stream?

We no longer buy gas?” The outgoing CDU General Secretary nods and adjusts his jacket: “Of course, of course!” says something." "For the federal government," as Lambsdorff emphasizes, chooses clear words at the end of the program: "No option off the table in the event of an attack."

Lanz listens, so it's worth exaggerating a bit: "That's the official position of the federal government, yes?" Lambsdorff specifies: "If there is an invasion, then we have a new situation.

Then Article 51 of the United Nations Charter is relevant.

This is also stipulated by law in our country, so that we can then discuss it again.

But before that, as long as we're going through all the diplomatic channels, it would be a mistake."

"Markus Lanz" - The conclusion of the show

While the politicians Paul Ziemiak (CDU) and Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (FDP) are still debating with each other, ZDF viewers are amazed on Twitter.

It has not escaped you that "Markus Lanz"* had announced a video link to Kiev's mayor Vitali Klitschko on his website and on Twitter.

But the longer the show lasts, the more it dawns on the sofas: That won't happen anymore today.

Unfortunately, talk show host Markus Lanz does not explain why the interview did not take place.

His contribution to the Ukraine issue would certainly have been interesting to complement the well-founded analysis of the political scientist Margarete Klein and the assessment of the two German politicians.

(Hermann Racke)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-01-29

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