Exiting the EU is still an option for AfD leader Tino Chrupalla. Other participants in the conversation disagree and warn of serious consequences.
When it came to the European Union, Markus Lanz countered his guest’s statements first with facts, then with the accusation: “What you’re doing is really a real conspiracy theory.” But AfD co-chairman Tino Chrupalla was not impressed by either. That’s how it went for most of the talk show on Tuesday evening. The AfD’s economic and socio-political concepts were the topic there.
Chrupalla – placed immediately to the left of the moderator – did not want to rule out leaving the EU for Germany’s future in the European Union: “Of course, as a last resort, as a means of pressure, there must be the possibility of closing this union, especially for Germany as the highest net contributor leave.” Chrupalla told Deutschlandfunk at the beginning of February that it was too late for “Dexit”.
The guests
Claus Ruhe Madsen, CDU politician, Tino Chrupalla, AfD party leader, Lukas Rietzschel, writer, Franziska Klemenz, journalist
Lanz also accused Chrupalla of embezzling what Germany received in return in subsidies from Brussels. “Do you have any idea how much German prosperity would be lost if we left the EU?” asked the moderator. “This will pay off for Great Britain in the long run,” said Chrupalla, with a view to Brexit.
AfD leader is considering “Dexit”
Lanz referred to “economic indicators” according to which the United Kingdom is losing the equivalent of around 163 billion euros annually due to Brexit. Chrupalla immediately expressed doubts – and suspected a conspiracy. “Economists have to throw exactly these numbers into the room in order to hold Europe together so that there are no imitators,” said the AfD party leader. “Do you think they’re lying?” Lanz asked. “You’re not lying, but…” replied the politician and added: “Imagine if leaving the EU would be worthwhile for a country. What would then happen in this European Union.”
Chrupalla: The protection of the constitution is being abused
Chrupalla argued similarly when it came to the work of federal and state constitutional protection authorities. “We will continue to sue,” he announced regarding the classification of his party’s youth organization as definitely right-wing extremist. An urgent application against the decision of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution failed on Thursday before the Cologne Administrative Court. “This is of course also justified in terms of election tactics,” claimed Chrupalla, also with a view to similar assessments by constitutional protection officers in Saxony.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is being politically abused, Lanz asked. “Well, absolutely,” replied the AfD co-chairman. “If that’s the case, then you would be a victim,” said the moderator. “That’s why we’re suing,” replied his guest. “You have no idea why you are classified as a right-wing extremist?” replied Lanz. Chrupalla said no. The party leader said about his party colleague Björn Höcke: “For me he is not right-wing extremist.”
The talk show host reacted with astonishment: “Björn Höcke isn’t someone who talks about subversive fantasies or ethnic fantasies and so on?” said Lanz. “You would say: He’s out? He’s not a right-wing extremist?” Journalist Klemenz recalled that Höcke in Schnellroda in Saxony-Anhalt “talked about the reproduction of people in Africa as if they were bacteria.” She also pointed out that Höcke had described the Berlin Holocaust Memorial as a “monument of shame”.
After Lanz repeatedly asked questions about another right-wing extremist contact, Chrupalla admitted: “Yes, I know him.” The moderator asked about Gernot Mörig from Düsseldorf. He is considered to be an organizer of the meeting in a Potsdam villa and has allegedly previously initiated a meeting (“5th Düsseldorf Round”) with Chrupalla and financiers from the right-wing milieu. Chrupalla had previously cited gaps in his memory regarding his alleged participation.
“Lanz”: Officials fired?
Then the AfD leader switched to a suggestion on how the shortage of skilled workers could be remedied. Schleswig-Holstein’s Economics Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU) reported how he came to the country in 1992 without knowing any German. He emphasized how important people from abroad are for the German economy. Chrupalla then made a suggestion as to where the missing skilled workers could come from in the short term: from the authorities.
