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Angered and ridiculed: CSU leader Markus Söder during his CDU party conference speech in Hanover
Photo: IMAGO/Chris Emil Janssen / IMAGO/Chris Emil Janssen
With a slip of the tongue on the subject of drugs, CSU boss Markus Söder drew ridicule from Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
At the CDU party conference in Hanover on Saturday, Söder criticized the legalization of cannabis planned by the traffic light coalition and wanted to emphasize that harder drugs such as crystal meth could then possibly be released.
However, he mispronounced the English "th" and said "Crystal Mett," which reminded Lauterbach and some social media users of the chopped meat spread popular in some regions.
"Despite this scathing criticism from @Markus_Soeder that the legalization of cannabis promotes the consumption of Chrystal-Mett, we do not hesitate," Lauterbach wrote on Twitter about the federal government's determination.
"At least vegetarians remain safe." Lauterbach made a spelling mistake himself: The synthetic drug is spelled "Crystal" in English and not "Chrystal".
For an attack on the Greens member of the Bundestag Anton Hofreiter, the CSU boss also got headwind from the sister party.
Söder said in Hanover: "I only believe Anton Hofreiter that he is for the Bundeswehr when he finally gets a proper, military haircut."
Armin Laschet replied on his Twitter account: »We are experiencing a terrible war in Europe.
A turning point means looking for common ground across party lines.« When Hofreiter criticizes the government and supports Ukraine »I believe him, even without a 'proper, military haircut'.« He provided the tweet with the hashtag »style«.
CDU politician Ruprecht Polenz retweeted Laschet's distancing.
Roderich Kiesewetter, member of the CDU Bundestag and former colonel in the Bundeswehr, also defended Hofreiter against Söder's comment.
Hofreiter is "someone who stands impressively clearly on the side of #Ukraine."
ktz/dpa