Friedrich Merz, Federal Chairman of the CDU, at the election campaign citizens’ meeting in the Gropiusstadt community center in Neukölln Photo: dpa/picture-alliance
By Isabel Pancake
Berlin’s CDU top candidate Kai Wegner (50) brought CDU leader Friedrich Merz (67) to Neukölln on Friday. With a failed spell, however, he caused loud protests.
In the Gropiusstadt community center, Merz reported on the visit of Holocaust survivors Rozette Kats to the Bundestag on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day and told her life story.
Then a sentence that caused irritation: “When I hear something like that, I’m a bit proud of the history of our country.” A clumsy formulation.
About ten to fifteen people left the hall. Among them probably some SPD sympathizers. The Social Democrats had previously criticized Merz’ appearance.
Berlin’s Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (44, SPD): “Otherwise never show up, solve zero problems and then spit big tones in the election campaign.”