Klingbeil at Lanz: “It was a cackling”


Klingbeil at Lanz
“It was a cackle”

By Marko Schlichting

The situation in Afghanistan is actually the subject of Markus Lanz. But before that, the ZDF talker had an exchange of blows with SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil. Among other things, he criticizes the position of the CDU in Thuringia in the AFD’s vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Ramelow, which is planned for Friday.

SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil criticized CDU Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet on Thursday evening in the ZDF program “Markus Lanz”. Klingbeil wanted to know where Laschet was in the current situation in Thuringia. There, AFD country chief Björn Höcke wants to try this Friday to overthrow Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow from the left with a vote of no confidence. The CDU MPs announced that they would abstain from the vote. Klingbeil called the party’s behavior in recent weeks a “breach of contract”. He was annoyed that the CDU parliamentary group in Thuringia did not speak out clearly against AFD right-wing winger Höcke.

“In such a situation there is nothing to laugh about”

Klingbeil severely criticized the behavior of the Union Chancellor candidate during an event with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Erftstadt. During the Federal President’s speech, Laschet was filmed laughing heartily – a laugh that could also be clearly heard. Laschet later justified the faux pas by saying that he had been on his feet all day.

“There’s nothing to laugh about in a situation like this,” said Klingbeil. The moderator’s hint that Federal President Steinmeier also laughed at the event was rejected by the SPD politician. It was a smile. It was different with Laschet: “It was a cackling that could be heard over a long period of time.” Many people showed indignation at Laschet’s behavior, “and it was real,” said Klingbeil.

Some of the spectators were likely to have felt a little strange when Markus Lanz tried to explain Laschet’s behavior – and pointed out the alleged urge to laugh some people at funerals.

“We want to win”

But how is the Klingbeils party, the SPD, doing in the election campaign? The general secretary rejected the claim that the SPD did not have an election campaign team and that the entire election campaign was tailored to the candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “In the end it is the people who decide,” said Klingbeil. But there will be major events in the election campaign where Scholz will not be on stage alone. “Everyone in the SPD supports Olaf Scholz”.

After the election, the Social Democrats want to lead a coalition. “The claim to win must now be there with the SPD,” said Klingbeil. Lanz repeatedly pushed the question of whether the SPD would also be available as a junior partner in a coalition. “We want to provide the chancellor,” said Klingbeil. “Losing does not appear in my imagination.” In the end, he seemed slightly annoyed by the moderator’s constant scrutiny: “That I see a chance for the SPD in these elections is hopefully not a surprise for you.”

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