Kai Wegner in the early start
“By-elections are a stop signal for the traffic lights”
February 12, 2024, 10:22 a.m
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The by-elections in Berlin are a stop signal for the traffic light coalition, says the governing mayor of the federal capital, Kai Wegner. He says: “The best thing for our country would be new elections.” And the student at the Free University who beat a Jewish fellow student until he was hospitalized had to be expelled from the university.
For the governing mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, the by-election to the Bundestag in the capital is a signal to the federal government. “This is a big survey, so to speak, and it is simply a signal to the federal level that if a fifth of Berliners vote and a result like this comes out, then it is a warning signal, a stop signal for the traffic light, that something has changed here has to be done,” said Wegner in the ntv early start.
“The people in the country expect the Chancellor to finally break his silence and say how he wants to lead this country out of this serious crisis. There is little sense of this. People are losing trust in this federal government, and the Berliners have that Berliners made it clear,” the CDU politician continued.
Wegner sees the result of former AfD MP Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, who is in custody as a suspected member of the Reichsbürger scene and has nevertheless made gains in her district, as an expression of protest. “This shows once again that people really vote for the AfD out of protest. The fact that you want to send a signal that it’s not about which candidates have been nominated, but rather what you actually say, changes something.”
“The Chancellor is silent”
Ultimately, Wegner would like the federal government to clear the way for new elections. “The best thing for our country would be if you stopped as quickly as possible,” said the governing mayor. “I no longer perceive anything constructive from this traffic light, except arguments. Except that people don’t agree. They say that Germany is not competitive in the economic sector. The finance minister and the economics minister are arguing. The chancellor is silent. That’s what Germany is becoming not competitive again,” continued Wegner. “The FDP doesn’t really know where it wants to go. The Greens are ideological, serve their clientele, and the Chancellor is silent. Our country is suffering because of this.”
In the event of early federal elections, the party and parliamentary group leader of the CDU, Friedrich Merz, would have the first right of access to the candidacy for chancellor. “As party and parliamentary group leader, of course, and we will discuss and clarify this together in an orderly process.” The Berlin head of government believes such a procedure is necessary in any case. “Because I believe that it is important to take the party with you in such a process. The CSU is also still there. Strong state associations, strong prime ministers, they want to have a say. I think that’s okay too. Friedrich Merz also shares that, and We will walk the path together.”
Student demanded expulsion
After the anti-Semitic incident at the Free University of Berlin, Wegner is calling for consequences. The student who beat up a fellow Jewish student was no longer acceptable to the university. “I think such people have no place on our universities.” However, a reference must be legally enforceable. “We have to make it legally secure. And we’re now looking at what kind of handling our universities need. Then we’ll change the higher education law if necessary, and then he’ll have to be kicked out of the university,” said Wegner.
Initially, the responsible science senator, Ina Czyborra from the SPD, downplayed the case and considered a house ban to be sufficient. This is no reason for the governing mayor to fire the senator. “No, we are now bringing the university presidents to the table. We are conducting a dialogue about how we can improve the situation for Jewish students. It cannot be the case that Jews at our universities are afraid and no longer want to go to university. That has to be the case we change.”