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Erfurt (dpa) - Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow has come under fire with a chat about the federal / state consultations on the corona pandemic.
The left-wing politician had reported in the format of the new Clubhouse app that he was relaxing with a smartphone game at the Prime Minister's conferences, which often lasted hours, with Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).
In response to later claims that he had referred to the Chancellor as "Merkelchen" in the panel discussion, he told the German Press Agency that set pieces had been taken out of context.
When he appeared again in the app on Sunday, Ramelow apologized for his comments and made it clear that he would be more careful with the audio portal in the future.
"As soon as I turn on this format now, I notice that in the back of my mind I have the learning curve from the day before yesterday and yesterday," said the left-wing politician on Sunday.
The analysis of a media service that the enemy is always listening has now been internalized with regard to the app.
Thuringia's CDU leader Christian Hirte accused Ramelow of disrespect and irresponsibility.
"Either it is an expression of arrogance of power or fatigue," wrote Hirte on Sunday on Twitter.
Fighting the corona pandemic is about life and death as well as the livelihoods and the future of a generation of students.
"Anyone who understands his office as prime minister in this way is losing the trust of the citizens," wrote Hirte.
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The Thuringian FDP parliamentary group described Ramelow's actions in the corona pandemic as chaotic.
"Ramelow prefers to spend his time with daddles in the decisive deliberations," said the parliamentary manager of the Thuringian FDP parliamentary group, Robert-Martin Montag.
“Welt am Sonntag” had previously reported on the 64-year-old's appearance in the clubhouse panel discussion.
According to her, Ramelow said in the round on Saturday night that he would manage up to ten candy crush levels at the meeting of the prime ministers with Merkel.
The dpa said Ramelow: "Some play Sudoku, others play chess or Scrabble on their cell phones, and I play Candy Crush."
For him it is a way of relaxing.
With the sometimes ten-hour long marathon sessions with frequent interruptions, this is not a problem.
It is not a secret either.
At his clubhouse appearance on Sunday he made a very similar statement.
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The topic of the clubhouse round was "trash and features", said Ramelow of the dpa.
"If you talk about trash, then it's trashy," said the Prime Minister.
If you leave that out in a subsequent debate, he thinks it's funny.
"If you turn it into something deeply serious, that it shows how politicians think when they are private - I find that difficult," said Ramelow, who is very affine for new media and likes to use her different channels for his communication.
Clubhouse is a social media app from the USA that is currently experiencing a hype in Germany.
You can use it to participate in roundtables, but there are also closed roundtables.
You can't see yourself in the app, it's an audio format.
The group, which Ramelow joined, was organized by 19-year-old young SPD hope Lilly Blaudszun from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, along with five friends.
It was about celebrities, gossip, as reported to the dpa.
"Then all of a sudden Bodo Ramelow joined us, completely unplanned."
When he and other politicians were there, it was said in principle that this was no room to discuss political issues.
It was called “trash talk” from the start and should have stayed on the level.
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With a view to Clubhouse, Ramelow expressed privacy concerns because users would be asked to allow access to their contacts.
The fact that the app is currently only available for iPhone users bothers him.
"And it mustn't stay that way, otherwise it won't become my medium if it remains so elitist."
Despite the criticism of his appearance on the audio app, Ramelow can envision participating in other such discussion rounds.
“I also just accompanied two other numbers as a listener and found it totally exciting to hear young people debating certain questions,” he said.
Blaudszun wanted the discussion about Ramelow's contribution to be more factual.
Of course, his statements could be criticized, but at the same time one should also consider what role journalism plays on this platform.
It makes a difference whether a politician takes part in such a discussion or gives an interview to a journalist.
Everyone should think about what their own role is on the platform - as the moderator, she cannot take any responsibility for it.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210124-99-152675 / 3