A turning point on all levels

Created: 01/16/2023 15:02

By: Sandra Sedlmaier

Assembled CSU (from left): MEP Manfred Weber, MdL Dr.

Ute Eiling-Hütig, MdB Michael Kießling, Deputy Mayor Ludwig Horn, Stefanie von Winning, Dr.

Ursula Männle, district administrator Stefan Frey, district councilor Harald Schwab and local chief Thomas Parsdorfer.

© A. Jaksch

The turning point in history caused by the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine was the topic at the Tutzinger CSU's New Year's reception.

A politician from the very highest level was a guest: the member of the European Parliament, Manfred Weber.

Traubing

- "We had them all," said Tutzing's CSU local boss Thomas Parstorfer.

"Minister of Agriculture Brunner, Minister of the Interior Hermann, President of the State Parliament Aigner, Prime Minister Söder." This year he welcomed the EPP Group Leader in the European Parliament Manfred Weber to the New Year's reception.

Who would be the President of the Commission today, if political intrigues hadn't intervened four years ago.

Then it became Ursula von der Leyen, but Weber seems to be over it.

With enthusiasm and out of conviction, he speaks at the Tutzinger CSU in the Buttlerhof in Traubing about the challenges that the European Union is facing after the turning point marked by the Ukraine war.

"We are not a party to the war, but a war goal," says the Lower Bavarian MEP.

Russia is not only fighting against Ukraine, but also for “a Eurasian Union from Vladivostok to Lisbon” – so it says in a little book that Russian soldiers are given to read before their deployment in Ukraine.

"Putin hates the way we live," says Weber.

That's why there is no question for him: "Ukraine deserves our support" - which the around 180 visitors acknowledge with applause.

The turning point also affects the economy.

"Up until now, our business model has been: We manufacture products from cheap primary products and sell them to China," says the politician, citing BMW as an example: "China is BMW's largest single sales market." This model no longer works without cheap Russian gas and because the Chinese rely on goods they produce themselves.

"We have to find new, democratic partners, Japan and Australia."

There is also a turning point in energy.

If you can find ways to store electricity, Weber sees no problems in ten years.

On the way there, however, there could be shortages.

Therefore: “In the interests of our country, we should use our three nuclear power plants.” The federal government is avoiding this issue, says Weber.

In view of the crisis, other European countries are only now getting into nuclear power.

The question must be clarified, because the future of cars will certainly be electric, he says.

But at the moment there is not a sufficient network of charging stations.

For this reason, too, it does not make sense to let politics determine the end of the internal combustion engine.

"Then we would serve the next technology to the Chinese on a silver platter - you can't be that stupid."

The European politician also sees a turning point in terms of nutrition - "It cannot be that Europe is dependent on other countries in order to secure sufficient food" - and in values.

Although the proportion of practicing Christians is steadily declining, Germany must continue to profess its core belief in Christianity, he says with a view to a possible revision of paragraph 218 on abortion. And democracy must be cultivated.

"We must not take them for granted."

Of course, Weber uses the podium in the Buttlerhof to promote the CSU in the 2023 election year.

"It's an important choice for us.

For me, it's also about the question that the CSU has the mandate of Bavaria and how strong we can be as a Bavarian voice. "As far as the guests in the Buttlerhof are concerned: very strong.