After the attack in Solingen, the ARD had been looking for high-ranking discussion partners for its focus topic. The Federal Chancellor and his Interior Minister declined.
Munich – Two days after the fatal knife attack in Solingen, the shock is still deep. But political debates are already in full swing. The Union in particular is now demanding more consistent action from the traffic light coalition and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). On Sunday evening, ARD broadcast a “Brennpunkt” (focus) on the Solingen attack and even pushed “Tatort” (crime scene) out of its usual slot at 8:15 p.m. Viewers of the 15-minute program, however, waited in vain for a statement from the Chancellor or Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD).
After attack in Solingen – Scholz cancels ARD “Brennpunkt”
“We would have liked to have spoken to the Chancellor or the Interior Minister this evening. Unfortunately, both of them have canceled,” explained presenter Catharine Vogel briefly during the program, which dealt with the latest developments in the attack in Solingen. Because Scholz and Faeser apparently turned down the ARD’s invitation, the political stage of the program belonged to CDU leader and opposition leader Friedrich Merz (CDU), who promptly used it to attack the traffic light coalition.
Merz attacks Scholz and Faeser for “naive migration policy” after knife attack in Solingen
“We have been discussing the consequences of Mannheim for three months now. I hear the same words from the mouths of the Chancellor and the Interior Minister now in Solingen. Enough is enough,” said Merz, referring to Faeser and Scholz. Solingen must become a “turning point” for the traffic light coalition.
Merz continued, saying that an attempt must now be made to get the “democratic parties in our country” to come together and eliminate the causes of these knife attacks in our country. According to the CDU leader, this would include, among other things, more powers for the federal police and an end to a “naive migration policy”. Merz had already called for a freeze on the admission of refugees from Afghanistan and Syria in his personal newsletter that morning.
Scholz and Faeser turn down ARD invitation – Chancellor travels to Solingen on Monday
It is currently not known why Chancellor Scholz and Interior Minister Faeser declined the ARD invitation. The Chancellor announced on Sunday that he would travel to Solingen on Monday morning. There, the SPD politician plans to meet with the mayor of Solingen, Tim Kurzbach (SPD), and NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU). Among other things, a memorial to the victims at the site of the attack and a joint statement with Wüst are planned.
Scholz described the attack as a “terrible crime” and continued: “We must not accept something like this in our society and never accept it. The full force of the law must be used here.”
Faeser had already travelled to Solingen on Saturday – also together with Prime Minister Wüst – for a visit. There the Interior Minister called for solidarity. “In times like these, we will not allow ourselves to be divided, but will stand together and will not allow such a terrible attack to divide society,” said Faeser.
Söder calls for more consistent deportations after attack in Solingen
Other Union politicians also sharply criticized the traffic light coalition and the chancellor after the attack. CSU leader Markus Söder called Scholz a “sad chancellor” in the ARD “summer interview” and said he did not trust him to change migration policy.
The Bavarian Prime Minister called for a tightening of the law, which would give the police more powers and also for a more consistent enforcement of deportations. “Anyone who resists deportation must be placed in deportation detention and then deported, and also to Syria and Afghanistan, and must finally be deported again,” he said. (fd with material from dpa)
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