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Agnieszka Brugger, Dorothee Bär: Debate at the SPIEGEL Talk

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DER SPIEGEL

CSU deputy chairwoman Dorothee Bär has defended Claudia Pechstein's controversial statements at the CDU policy convention. "These are not the issues of the AfD. These are the issues of the citizens," said Bär about Pechstein's criticism of gendering in the SPIEGEL top discussion with moderator Markus Feldenkirchen and Agnieszka Brugger, deputy chairwoman of the Green parliamentary group.

In a speech, Pechstein had called for the deportation of rejected asylum seekers in order to ensure more security in everyday life. Something like this should be more important "than thinking about whether we put a gender asterisk," Pechstein said. Bär said that gendering also annoyed her. "It doesn't hurt anyone to say dear citizens, but you just get a hiccup from dear citizens," said Bär.

There had been a lot of criticism of Pechstein's appearance, including criticism that it conveyed AfD positions. Bär said that "certain issues should not be left to the AfD". The question is how to reduce the number of asylum seekers. "Not everyone who comes is a brain surgeon. But of course there are also criminals," she continued. It doesn't help not to address the issue.

More on the subject

  • At the CDU convention: Claudia Pechstein justifies herself for appearance in uniform

  • CDU leader Merz: A culture war he can only loseThe SPIEGEL editorial by Sebastian Fischer

  • Speed skating star Pechstein: Angry citizen in uniformBy Peter Ahrens

  • Controversial speech at CDU convention: "Sweeping and populist" – CDU politicians distance themselves from Pechstein's appearance

Bär would prefer to get rid of the AfD. "If you could ban the party, if it were so easy, I would do it, of course," said the CSU politician. At the same time, she blamed the federal government for the rise of the AfD. But it is up to all democratic parties to make it clear to people that what the AfD is doing is not a protest. "Of course, we have to get better," Brugger said, referring to the federal government.

In the interview, Bär was also outraged by the appearance of Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters) at a demonstration against the heating law in Erding, Bavaria. "I can only agree with Ilse Aigner's words. Of course, it is not possible to say that we will get our democracy back," said Bär, before making it clear: "For me, repeating democracy is a real narrative of the AfD." And further: "The Free Voters will have to take a close look at who they will send to office."

Aiwanger, Deputy Prime Minister of Bavaria, had said at the event that "the silent majority of this country" must "take back democracy". Among other things, Bavaria's state parliament president Aigner (CSU) reacted to this with sharp criticism.

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