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CDU "true climate protection party"? According to Spahn's sentence, the energy expert gives free rein to her dislike

2023-01-27T12:16:08.105Z


Markus Lanz is asking the former Health Minister Jens Spahn about overpriced mask deals and tests. It is also about misconduct in climate policy.


Markus Lanz is asking the former Health Minister Jens Spahn about overpriced mask deals and tests.

It is also about misconduct in climate policy.

Hamburg – Ex-Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn does not hide his surprise when moderator Markus Lanz pinches him on Corona policy this Thursday evening.

"I don't know exactly what you're getting at," replies Spahn angrily when Lanz presents him with one corona defeat after the next.

Elsewhere, the CDU politician indicates that he obviously feels lured into the show with false facts.

"I was invited because of climate policy," complains Spahn, adding: "If you had told me beforehand that we would be talking about the topic, I would have been able to think things through a little better," he criticizes.

And then he can't help but make a sardonic comment towards Lanz: "I know you too..."

Markus Lanz tries to soothe the irritable politician with charm: "I don't want to blame you for that," Lanz explains several times, "I just want to understand it." But this sentence also upsets Spahn.

"How would you have acted, Mr. Lanz?" he finally snaps.

The moderator reacts calmly, according to Lanz, it is his job as a journalist to ask questions.

It's also about climate policy later - but Spahn gets his fat off there too.

"Markus Lanz" - these guests discussed with:

  • Jens Spahn (CDU) -

    Member of the CDU Presidium

  • Prof.

    _

    Claudia Kemfert -

    Head of the Energy, Transport and Environment department at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW)

  • Eva Quadbeck -

    Editor-in-Chief of the

    RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND)

  • Kathrin Witsch -

    Editor at

    Handelsblatt

But first it is about politics during the corona pandemic in detail: Against the background of current headlines, Lanz is primarily planning the overpriced and excessive purchase of millions of masks at several euros each.

14 million of these masks, which were bought at high prices, would now also be destroyed due to the expiration date.

Lanz also criticizes the "extremely high prices" of over 50 euros,

paid for a single corona test by the Ministry of Health.

Lanz's blatant accusation: poor negotiations by the ministry and a waste of billions of taxpayers' money.

Journalist calls for more control in the healthcare system: "Lobbying is tough"

For someone who is more familiar with German health policy “than almost anyone else”, Lanz puts it in Solomonic terms, it is surprising how this enormous waste of tax money could have been possible.

The lobbying of the healthcare industry is "tough", emphasizes

RND

journalist Eva Quadbeck.

“Every little gap” is exploited to get a piece of the cake in what has now become a gigantic economic market.

More control should have been mandatory.

The CDU politician, who has been active in clubs with German-American partnerships since the beginning of his political career, is familiar with lobbying.

And Spahn's husband Daniel Funke is a media lobbyist.

You will have to “forgive yourself a lot”, Spahn himself said publicly in relation to political decisions during the pandemic phase and thus gave the impression of a certain openness to error analysis.

Jens Spahn calls the CDU "true climate protection party" - the expert's collar bursts

But at Lanz, Spahn is primarily irritated and refers to the tense situation and the high pressure of expectations during the pandemic: "You always have to keep in mind the time we live in," says Spahn, doing himself no favors.

Sentences like: “I actually made up my mind not to say anything more about the health system” tend to increase distrust.

Even when it comes to climate, Spahn cannot score points, at least in the round.

This is mainly due to statements like these: “All decisions that have to do with climate protection in Germany are Christian-democratic.

The applicable climate protection law was made by the Union.” Or: “We have always been and will continue to be the true climate protection party.”

Markus Lanz: Jens Spahn admits mistakes with regard to the energy policy of the grand coalition

The energy expert Prof. Claudia Kemfert can neither hide her dislike of the CDU nor her indignation about the content.

"That's really a joke," she exclaims.

The energy transition was "massively slowed down by the CDU".

As a consequence, Germany now has a “gigantic energy crisis”.

Among other things, the "gagging agreements with Russia" that the Union-led coalition concluded and the "delayed energy transition" led to costs of "300 billion euros".

Kemfert is visibly touched: "We have always warned against dependence on Russia.

You did it anyway.” She demands responsibility from the Union: “You made so many mistakes that need to be worked out!”.

Spahn is not entirely convinced.

The reason for the crisis is "the energy transition," he objects.

"Gas" was intended as a "bridge".

But he also allows criticism, especially in relation to the attitude towards Russia and the Nord Stream pipelines, Spahn admits: "Yes, mistakes have been made.

I accept that. "Moderator Markus Lanz honors the admission and does not want Spahn to leave the show as a sacrificial lamb, but in the end breaks a lance for the top politician: "Let's conclude that Mr. Spahn is not to blame.

He was Minister of Health.” Lanz concludes with the words: “I would say: love and harmony at the end of this show.” Spahn looks iron-clad.

Conclusion of the "Markus Lanz" talk

Spahn was obviously not briefed about what Markus Lanz was planning to do with him.

He looked puzzled at the introduction when Lanz, who had announced climate policy, suddenly put corona policy on the agenda.

Even if Spahn did not want or could not contribute to the clarification, his reactions were meaningful.

(Verena Schulemann)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2023-01-27

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