"We are a free and not a forced state": Markus Söder at the district CSU guest

Markus Söder in prison?

In the Tölz "Jailhouse" ("prison"), the Bavarian Prime Minister obviously felt very comfortable at the New Year's reception of the district CSU.

Bad Tölz – The title melody of “Star Wars” sounds, somewhat hesitant applause accompanies Prime Minister Markus Söder, who greets everyone, to his seat.

"Thank you for the friendly welcome - it was appropriate," he later jokes at the beginning of his speech.

He spoke for almost an hour at the New Year's reception of Tölzer CSU and district association in the "Jailhouse" in front of around 250 visitors.

Well, he was "a bit unsure" when he got an invitation to the "Jailhouse" because he was wondering what he had done, he admits.

"But it really is a great location."

Thanks to Martin Bachhuber

Söder is currently giving large parts of his humorous speech all over the country at the countless New Year's receptions, which seem to extend particularly far into the year in election years.

But in the first minutes he is completely with his hosts.

He thanks Martin Bachhuber, who will not run again for the state parliament in October, for his work.

Bachhuber always had "a big heart for people".

And he is not someone who only rails against the state government in the local newspaper and then "becomes more and more quiet with every kilometer closer to Munich".

"I think Martin only ever had his outbursts in my presence," recalls Söder.

For Bachhuber's commitment "I say Vergelt's Gott - also on behalf of the Bavarian state government".

With Thomas Holz, someone is now running for office "who is younger, but not a freshman", one

who comes “full of passion from local politics”.

"I would wish that Thomas would move into the state parliament with a lot of tailwind."

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Around 250 listeners filled the Tölz "Jailhouse" at the CSU's New Year's reception on Tuesday evening.

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Praise for District Administrator Josef Niedermaier (FW)

Söder also praises District Administrator Josef Niedermaier, who is among the listeners.

“You have a very good district administrator here, who I respect very much.

Well, he's with the wrong party," says Söder, with a view to Niedermaier's free voter affiliation, "but: Nobody's perfect."

After that, Söder spans a wide thematic arc.

Direct attacks on political opponents are rare, instead the Prime Minister emphasizes what he believes Bavaria is doing so much better than others.

This starts with the introduction of the state care allowance for caregiving relatives and the master craftsman’s training, which will soon be free of charge, leads to the low poverty and unemployment rates, to the low crime rate and the Bavarian high-tech agenda, which envisages investments of around 3.5 billion euros .

And even in the areas where Bavaria is badmouthed, it is far better.

Example: Expansion of renewable energies.

"We asked the federal government for the official figures," says Söder.

And Bavaria is anything but the bottom of the table. "We are the absolute number 1 in photovoltaics,

just like with hydropower.” And even with wind power, they are in eighth place.

"We just don't have as much wind.

But there is less sun in the north," says Söder.

In general, he often has the impression in Berlin "that there are first and second-class renewable energies".

There is no other way for him to explain “why biomass is being slowed down.

I have the feeling that there is a deep distrust of agriculture in Berlin”, which in some cases “is more closely controlled than some security facilities”.

“why biomass is slowed down.

I have the feeling that there is a deep distrust of agriculture in Berlin”, which in some cases “is more closely controlled than some security facilities”.

“why biomass is slowed down.

I have the feeling that there is a deep distrust of agriculture in Berlin”, which in some cases “is more closely controlled than some security facilities”.

Söder: "Live and let live"

In general, he is an opponent of the new "Wokeness".

He was "a bit fed up with the fact that we are only supposed to live according to certain dogmas of certain groups.

It bothers me when they tell you how to speak, what to eat and how to dress”.

In Bavaria, the principle applies: “Live and let live.

We are a free and not a forced state.”

Otherwise it is about the Bavarian lawsuit against the inheritance tax and the threatened against the state financial equalization.

The Free State paid ten billion euros last year.

"If your member of parliament Alexander Radwan organizes a visit to Berlin for you and you get there, the Berliners should actually stand around your bus and say: thank you, thank you, thank you."

At the end there is "Tölzer beating"

There is a look back at the Corona years ("we saved 130,000 lives with our measures"), a look at the turning point announced by the chancellor, "which is rather slow motion" and at the Ukraine war.

“Some talk passionately about this war, and then there is also a foreign minister who says that we are at war with Russia.

We are not.

We have to help, but we don't want a war with Russia.” Of course, the energy crisis is also at stake.

Here Germany "makes an embarrassing picture", says Söder.

They ask France for nuclear power, the US for fracking gas and make a "curtsy" in Qatar to get gas after denouncing their human rights violations.

"We have to concentrate on what is necessary," says Söder.

And that means

After almost an hour, Söder ends with the words: "God protect Bavaria".

Then he accepts a traditional shirt from Tölz CSU boss Karsten Bauer and district boss Thomas Holz “Tölzer Prügel” made of chocolate, before he sits down at their table for a chat.

You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.