“Female guests only”
Faeser plans a men-free boat trip – and sparks debate
September 28, 2023, 5:48 p.m
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For her election campaign in Hesse, Federal Interior Minister Faeser is inviting people to a boat trip. If possible, male journalists should not come on board. The chairman of the Hessian state press conference immediately sees press freedom in danger – some of his colleagues distance themselves.
A planned election campaign event in Hesse on a ship with top SPD politicians and around 200 other women is causing a stir because men should not come on board if possible. The Hessian SPD wrote in its invitation to the event next Saturday with Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and three female Prime Ministers: “With a view to the exclusively female guests on the ship, we would find it thematically consistent if the press seats were also occupied by women.”
However, male press representatives would not be turned away. The chairman of the Hessian State Press Conference (LPK), Ewald Hetrodt, then told the Evangelical Press Service: “This is not funny, but an attack on the freedom of the press.”
The spokesman for the Hessian SPD, Christoph Gehring, announced today, Thursday, a week and a half before the state elections on October 8th: “At demonstrations by lateral thinkers, right-wing populists and right-wing radicals, more and more journalists who are simply doing their work are being ignored by the Participants were insulted, insulted, threatened and physically attacked.” These are “attacks on the freedom of the press. Our media invitation to the boat trip on Saturday is not one.”
“Of course it’s not an attack”
Ten LPK members appeared “very irritated” in a statement: “Colleague Hetrodt is not speaking on our behalf. Whatever one may think of the invitation, especially for women, in our view it does not represent an attack on press freedom. ” Other LPK members made similar statements. However, an LPK journalist also argued: “Of course it’s not an attack, but discrimination could certainly be discussed.”
Hetrodt told the German Press Agency: “When I was asked for my opinion, I saw it as my job to defend freedom of the press. The board (of the LPK) expressly adopted my position.” Hetrodt added: “There is express approval and praise from colleagues from all over the country.”
According to plans, Federal Interior Minister Faeser, who is running as the SPD’s top candidate in Hesse, will also take part in the one-hour boat trip on Saturday on the Main, as well as the Social Democratic Prime Ministers Malu Dreyer (Rhineland-Palatinate), Anke Rehlinger (Saarland) and Manuela Schwesig (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania). part.