The former Bavarian Prime Minister Seehofer attacks Hubert Aiwanger in the leaflet affair. His daughter also comments on this.
The former Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) and his daughter Susanne Seehofer (FDP) have now also spoken out in the leaflet affair. Horst Seehofer told the “Spiegel”: “I find Aiwanger’s thesis problematic that this is a campaign against him. That doesn’t do justice to the seriousness of the matter.”
Aiwanger was criticized almost two weeks ago after a report in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. The “SZ” had reported that the 52-year-old is said to have written an anti-Semitic pamphlet during his school days at the Burkhart Gymnasium in Lower Bavaria’s Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg. Further reports followed which suggested that the young Aiwanger was close to right-wing extremism.
2023-09-08 11:11:21.348 – 1694171481348
The head of the Free Voters firmly denies having written the leaflet. His brother Helmut Aiwanger assumed responsibility shortly after the allegations became known. At the same time, Aiwanger admitted that “one or a few copies” had been found in his school bag. According to Aiwanger, he can no longer remember why they were there. He sees himself as a victim of a smear campaign.
“That’s what I advised”
Regarding the role of the CSU, which coalitions with the Free Voters, Seehofer said: “It’s about serious allegations in connection with the mockery of the Holocaust and its victims. This is the greatest crime in human history. The CSU had a duty there, didn’t it just go back to business as usual, but demand clarification,” said Seehofer.
He himself was also involved: “I advised that, and Markus Söder initiated it with the catalog of 25 questions for Aiwanger.” In this context, Seehofer reported that Söder asks him for advice from time to time, usually via short text messages. There is no confirmation from Söder.
“Contact was at times not worthy of an economics minister”
Susanne Seehofer emphasized in “Spiegel” that she had “never perceived Aiwanger as an anti-Semite.” But she thinks it’s a “scandal that Hubert Aiwanger didn’t manage to verbally clarify what he had to do with the whole thing.” She too does not consider Aiwanger’s reaction to be appropriate to the seriousness of the situation.
“I find it problematic that he treats the allegations as if he had driven a moped without a license,” she said, adding: “The handling was at times not worthy of an economics minister, so you have to ask yourself whether he was responsible for this task is really still suitable.”
The affair surrounding the leaflet has kept Bavarian state politics busy for the past two weeks. Prime Minister Markus Söder had summoned his deputy after the allegations became known and had 25 questions answered. Aiwanger answered most questions inaccurately or indicated he could not remember. Söder then announced last Sunday that he wanted to hold on to Aiwanger. A motion to dismiss the opposition parties SPD and Greens failed on Thursday.
