"People need hope": Söder on Corona lessons and concerns about a new world war

Created: 04/29/2022, 07:53

By: Christian Deutschländer

CSU leader Markus Söder in Berlin in February with CDU leader Friedrich Merz.

© Florian Gaertner/photothek.de/Imago

Germany and the world are being hit by crises.

In an interview, Markus Söder talks about the dangerous overall situation and the change of heart in the Green camp.

Munich – The world is out of joint, and Corona is not even defeated.

In this situation, between the pandemic and the Ukraine war, are we allowed to celebrate?

Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) advises: Yes, there must also be moments of joie de vivre, of getting closer.

"We all have to recharge our batteries," he says in an interview.

Söder, although not a beer drinker himself, has opened several festivals in Bavaria in the past few days.

He also advises the Mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, to let the Wiesn take place in 2022 - without general conditions such as 2G or distance requirements.

You shouldn't "lock people out in advance," says the CSU boss (55) - by the way, he himself only recently recovered from Corona.

The CSU boss and Prime Minister (55) talks at length about the upheavals after the pandemic policy during the editorial visit.

Also about his concepts to wean Bavaria from Russian gas.

Your voice sounds rough - are there still corona after-effects?

Markus Söder:

Luckily only a bit of hay fever - like every year at this time.

With your CSU, the aftermath is harsher.

There is very serious dislocation in the electorate.

How are you ever going to heal this?

Söder:

Of course there were also mistakes and injuries.

But we got through it better than others in Bavaria.

According to estimates by the State Office for Public Health, we have saved over 130,000 lives.

What greater reward can there be?

Corona no longer an issue in Bavaria?

Söder defends the strict course of the state government

At times it looked like a lurching course.

Söder:

The state government has always adapted to the situation and situation and made appropriate decisions.

When the Upper Bavarian hospitals were overcrowded with the Delta variant in December, we had to act more cautiously.

But then, when the threat from Omikron was noticeably less onerous, we consciously reacted more liberally and were the first to cautiously begin the path of openings.

The federal government has abolished all rules and virtually privatized Corona.

If you like, you can still go to the spring festival in Munich or to the Georgiritt in Traunstein with a clear conscience.

Yes, we can see it in some photos: the strict Söder has become a party beast.

SODER:

No.

But I can sense people's longing for joie de vivre.

We all need to recharge our batteries.

And we as the CSU are again living our guiding principle of being closer to people.

But I also know that we still have to heal and reconcile some things from these two years.

Corona is over?

Söder:

Corona is still there, but not as dangerous as it used to be.

That is why the number of infections has become less relevant.

There is one number that matters: the burden in the hospitals.

It's very stable at the moment.

So you will also be taking your first beer at the Munich Oktoberfest?

Söder:

If it happens, definitely.

I'm looking forward to the first measure.

You are for a Wiesn 2022?

Söder:

That remains a decision of the city.

From a legal point of view, there is no reason to refuse the Wiesn.

The Oktoberfest would also be important on a human and mental level.

A third cancellation in a row would be a serious challenge for everyone involved.

Of course, every festival is a tightrope walk at the moment, also because of the situation in Ukraine.

My feeling is that people need hope.

We should not deny them this moment of breather and joie de vivre.

Have you thought about a hotspot Oktoberfest: only for vaccinated people?

Only one household per beer table?

Söder:

That's not possible.

The federal government has decided to take a different approach to Corona: instead of collective security, individualization of the risk.

That means: There are no more measures.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania tried to designate the whole country as a hotspot and failed miserably in court.

That's what we predicted.

Now everyone has to protect themselves with a vaccine and mask and decide whether and which event to attend.

Everyone is free to do so.

Clear again: No 2G at the Wiesn, even if the mayor might have wished for Reiter?

Söder:

There is no legal basis for this under the traffic light law.

The landlords have the domiciliary rights in the tent - but there is no general requirement.

There is also no reason to overreact now or even lock people out in advance.

Ukraine conflict: Söder on extreme course from Merz and "military parades of the Greens"

We need to talk about Ukraine.

You have a different tone than CDU leader Merz when it comes to Russia and the arms deliveries.

Worried we're going to get dragged into a war?

Söder:

We have to help Ukraine.

This is best and fastest done with weapons.

Nevertheless, I am amazed at the euphoria with which some people talk about ever larger deliveries of arms and possibly talk their way into a war.

The Greens used to be pacifists at every Easter march and now they would love to hold military parades.

Anton Hofreiter in particular suddenly developed into an expert for tanks, grenades and cannons.

That's too fast for me too many jumps in too short a time.

I think the Bundestag's decision is the right one, but we have to be careful not to become a party to the war bit by bit - with all the necessary support for Ukraine.

Are you carrying the cheetah tank shipment?

Söder:

The Bundestag decided it that way.

But now the next ones are already talking about further Leopard tank deliveries.

I don't have a good feeling about this spiral.

Do you think the threat of a world war with nuclear weapons is real?

Söder:

I didn't think that Putin would start this war and commit these war crimes in Ukraine.

That's why you can't rule out anything anymore.

We are in favor of consistent protection of NATO, strengthening of the Bundeswehr and aid for Ukraine.

But we should consider and weigh everything.

We depend on Russia's gas.

The tap is already being turned off in the first countries.

What are you doing to finally make Bavaria more independent?

soder:

As things stand at present, the inflow may end overnight.

This could mean that many companies would quickly come to a standstill or that private heating would be switched off.

Then many millions of jobs and apartments will be affected and endangered.

At the same time, many people are burdened by the extremely rising prices for fuel, energy and food.

For mainstream society, this means fear of social decline and enormous everyday worries.

And politicians need answers to that.

"Freeze for peace" - meaning less heating or maybe a thicker sweater - that can hardly be the solution for a modern, innovative and social country.

We have to take care of the average earners and families who are worried about how they will get through this time financially.

You need relief.

So?

What to do?

soder:

Greater relief is needed than before, with massive cuts in high energy taxes.

Our European neighbors can do that too.

Why not Germany?

We have also developed an energy concept for Bavaria to improve supply.

First: extend nuclear power to secure electricity for millions of households.

Switching off increases the energy gap.

Secondly, the power lines must move forward.

So far, only four percent of the planned lines have been built.

The responsible ministers Robert Habeck and Hubert Aiwanger have to plan and build more quickly.

Third: Massively expand renewable energies.

Bavaria has been number 1 almost everywhere so far and we're stepping it up a notch - especially with the strengths that Bavaria has.

We will massively increase solar energy with solar parks,

Mandatory solar panels on all government roofs and P&R sites.

We want to increase hydropower and are fighting against the Greens in Berlin turning off the water tap.

The traffic light plans to de facto abolish all hydroelectric power plants with an output of up to 500 kW.

This is a blow against the most important Upper Bavarian renewable energy.

We will make all of this clear again at our small CSU party conference this weekend.

As far as arms deliveries are concerned, CSU boss Markus Söder is "less euphoric than the Greens and FDP", as is CDU colleague Friedrich Merz.

© Frank Hoermann/Sven Simon/Imago

Energy transition: Söder on wind turbines and the future of nuclear energy in Germany

For example, where would there be more hydropower, even new buildings?

Söder:

We asked the environment minister to examine proposals from the region: for new and more efficient hydroelectric power plants on the Salzach to generate electricity for thousands of households.

The same applies to pumped storage power plants in Lower Bavaria and Middle Franconia.

Are you comfortable with significantly more wind power?

Söder:

Of course we need more wind.

But with the citizens and not against them.

We as the CSU have now achieved a breakthrough at 10H, with which we can achieve 800 new wind turbines.

But one thing is clear: distance rules must apply and the planning associations should decide on the wind areas.

The Greens want to completely abolish 10H and no more rules for wind expansion.

This threatens a wind shock for Upper Bavaria.

After that, investors could plan wind farms anywhere in the Oberland.

We too want and will achieve more wind power.

But orderly and with reason.

Unlike the Greens, we don't want our home in the foothills of the Alps to lose its unique character overnight.

Do you think the federal government will move on nuclear energy?

Söder:

Unfortunately, this has so far fallen on deaf ears in Berlin, especially with the Greens.

But the gas is running out.

If there is still a power shortage due to the shutdown of nuclear power, the risk of a real energy crisis increases.

Do we honestly have to say: We, also in Bavaria, are facing times of less prosperity?

Söder:

Times are not getting any easier.

We will take countermeasures in Bavaria with enormous high-tech investments from which everyone in Bavaria will benefit.

Incidentally, I would like the Bavarian Greens to stop blocking locations here as well.

I expressly exclude Robert Habeck.

But Ludwig Hartmann, for example, mobilized locally against Intel settling in Landsberg.

If everyone in our country understands how huge the challenge is - then we can weather each of these crises better than anyone else.

Summarized by Christian Deutschländer