According to Neubauer's statements: Laschet takes measures against anti-Semitism

CDU leader Armin Laschet has protected the Bundestag candidate Hans-Georg Maaßen, who is also controversial within the party, from the anti-Semitism accusation of climate activist Luisa Neubauer. "I have not yet perceived him as an anti-Semite," said the party chairman on Monday in the program "ProSieben special". Neubauer had accused the former President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of sharing and disseminating anti-Semitic content. As evidence, she cited, among other things, that Maaßen repeatedly used “problematic terms such as 'globalists'” on his Twitter profile.

Laschet said he would deny that anyone using the word "is internally an anti-Semite". This is what Neubauer claimed. “And I think the evidence that came in was not enough.” The CDU chairman emphasized: “If you make such a harsh accusation - especially in these days when we are experiencing real anti-Semitism - you need other evidence than such linguistic. "

Together with Neubauer, Laschet was a guest on the ARD program “Anne Will”, in which the climate activist accused the former President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of distributing the content of anti-Semitic blogs. The CDU boss and candidate for Union Chancellor reacted during the broadcast with questions about Neubauer's statements. You have to provide evidence that Maassen is an anti-Semite. “Anti-Semitism would not be acceptable.” Initially, Neubauer did not cite any evidence, but later specified her statements to the editorial network Germany (RND).

“Mr. Maaßen has linked to The Unz Review platform, primarily via his Twitter account.

Its founder Ron Unz has publicly questioned the Holocaust, ”said Neubauer to the RND.

The problematic term “globalists” used by Maaßen is “also referred to by the CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation as an internationally understood code of right-wing extremists”.

As the longstanding President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Maaßen should be familiar with such codes, said Neubauer.

At the same time, she made it clear: "I did not say that Mr. Maaßen himself is an anti-Semite."

Maassen himself had rejected the allegations the day after the broadcast.

"For me, these are unfounded and paperless claims that I firmly reject," he said.

The former President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution was elected as a candidate for the Bundestag at the end of April by delegates from four CDU district associations in southern Thuringia. Maaßen is controversial because of his stance on the federal government's refugee policy, among other things. Politicians from the SPD, the Greens and the Left accused the CDU of fishing with measures on the right edge. Massive criticism also came from the ranks of the CDU and CSU.