CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann has called for Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to resign following a tweet about CDU leader Friedrich Merz. Linnemann told the Rheinische Post that Lauterbach’s behavior is not new, but this incident has a new quality. He claims that Lauterbach’s apology is not sufficient, citing a pattern of behavior where the minister makes a statement, only to later apologize.
Lauterbach had posted a message on the X platform, criticizing Merz for allegedly befriending the far-right AfD party. The post was later removed, but not before it sparked controversy. Lauterbach later apologized to Merz, stating that he had made a mistake.
In the context of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Linnemann believes that Lauterbach’s words crossed a significant boundary. He argues that a minister, in particular, has a responsibility to maintain a democratic climate and that Lauterbach’s actions have compromised that. Linnemann’s statement has sparked a heated debate, with some defending Lauterbach’s right to free speech and others criticizing the minister’s perceived lack of sensitivity.