The Free Voters have high approval ratings ahead of the state elections in Bavaria, the CSU is in last place in the polls. CSU boss Söder blames the Aiwanger leaflet case for this.
09/08/2023 | 06:50 minJust before the state elections in Bavaria, the Free Voters are on the rise with high poll numbers – despite or perhaps because of the leaflet affair. Just out of solidarity with your party leader, Hubert Aiwanger? Two weeks ago, he wrote to deny having written an anti-Semitic pamphlet some 35 years ago. As a result, more and more accusations have been made about Aiwanger’s past behavior. Prime Minister Markus Söder recently decided to stand by him and speaks of “worrying weeks” in the ZDF Today newspaper. In contrast to Aiwanger, he and CSU are in the polls at 36 percent.
Watch the video above and read excerpts from the interview here.
This is what the leader of the CSU and Prime Minister of Bavaria says
…the high poll numbers of Free Voters in the ZDF political barometer:
Firstly, underlines Markus Söder, he had to make a difficult decision, and it can also be seen from the political barometer that crisis management as a whole is valued by the overwhelming majority of citizens. 63 percent of Politbarometer respondents support the decision to keep Aiwanger as Bavaria’s Economy Minister.
The last two weeks have been “very stressful, also for Bayern” and so there has been a lot of solidarity. The head of the CSU emphasizes that now “it is not just about one person among 13 million Bavarians”. This is why, in my opinion, the Aiwanger case is closed. “We are focusing on what is crucial, which is the future of the country.”
But I think that could change again in the coming weeks. There is certainly still a little room for improvement for us.
Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria
Despite the leaflet case, Aiwanger is supported by his supporters. Ahead of the Bavarian state elections, the CSU remains the strongest party with 36 percent, followed by the Greens and Free Voters with 16 percent each. Shows the ZDF Extra political barometer.
09/08/2023 | 02:11 minutes
…Free Voters take a large number of votes from the CSU
“I don’t know if this is true”, says the CSU leader, “because if we look at all the polls, in all the institutes, (…) the Free Voters were relatively strong at between eleven and twelve percent. result of the last state election.” The fact that Free Voters, “if they govern for five years from the opposition, sometimes gain one or two percent” “is not that surprising”. Far more surprising was “the present advance”.
But from my point of view it comes from this feverish curve, this solidarity, this climate of the last few days. But I think that will change or could change very quickly.
Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria
ZDF political barometer: Bavaria and Hesse: an advantage for incumbents
…that FW boss Aiwanger seems to be gaining strength in the coalition
When moderator Marietta Slomka asked Söder about a “possible hugging strategy” when dealing with Aiwanger, the politician referred to the past:
“What’s crucial for us is that we didn’t get a bad result last time either. (…) We had an AfD for the first time in the 2018 state elections, we didn’t have that in 2013. AfD and Free Voters together would have percentages, which obviously also changed Edmund Stoiber’s electoral results at the time. Just adapt to a new time. And CSU said very clearly: “We definitely don’t want black-green because we show a clear distance from traffic lights.” .
In Bavaria, as throughout Germany, traffic lights have lost all connection to the population. It is practically disconnected from people’s feelings and also acts largely against the interests of many people.
Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria
Söder also made it clear: “No black and green. I personally guarantee that.”
Söder has already emphasized that there is no black and green in 2022 at the CSU party conference.
October 30, 2022 | 06:48 minutes
…how credible is the rejection of a green-black alliance
Slomka again touched on the topic of “coalition with the Greens”. On the one hand, the head of the CSU emphasizes that “the black-green danger in Bavaria has been avoided”, but on the other hand, the CDU is in coalition “without problems with the Greens in six federal states”?
Söder counters: “We are Bavaria and in Bavaria we make different decisions.” Last time, too, “the Greens offered, in some cases they even agreed, and really wanted to enter the government. We also had discussions and realized at that time that there was no reliable basis. This only deepened.”
The Greens’ work on the traffic lights, all these issues that just bother a lot of Germans. This question of what you can eat…
Markus Söder, Prime Minister of Bavaria
…Slomka interrupts – and Söder continues: He believes that “the public is interested in what someone you are interviewing really thinks and that’s why I would like to develop the idea to the end.” In any case, the bourgeois coalition must continue. “Bavaria is doing better than almost any federal state, so: never change a winning team.”
But now he definitely hopes that Free Voters will “accept this loss of reputation”.
In any case, I led a stable government for many years and maintained stability during these difficult times.
Markus Soder