Around two and a half weeks before the Bundestag election, the Thuringian CDU Bundestag candidate Hans-Georg Maaßen has called for the Schleswig-Holstein Education Minister Karin Prien to be removed from the so-called “future team” of Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet (both also CDU).
The former President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution told the newspaper Bild on Thursday that it was to be feared “that it will become an ongoing burden for all candidates”.
Prien said on Tuesday evening in the ZDF program Markus Lanz when asked how she thinks that Maaßen was set up in southern Thuringia by the CDU: “I have to accept that, even if I am not at all enthusiastic about it and ask myself, of course what Mr. Maaßen is actually looking for in the CDU. "
"Shaken by the statement by Ms. Prien"
When asked whether she would vote for Maaßen if she lived in his constituency, Prien said: "I'll put it this way, I'm always fascinated by competitive athletes." Ullrich (SPD).
Maaßen told the newspaper Bild: "I am shocked by Ms. Prien's statement, as she, as a member of Armin Laschet's competence team, is massively damaging our election campaign in the currently very difficult situation".
Laschet presented his so-called “future team” at the end of last week.
Maassen's line-up is criticized by large parts of the CDU.
He 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 have repeatedly accused the CDU of fishing with measures on the right.