CDU politician Philipp Amthor has called on his own party to claim feminism as a cause, asserting that it is not solely a left-wing issue but a task for society as a whole. Speaking to Stern, Amthor argued that double standards are prevalent, citing how men are judged by their arguments while women are overly scrutinized for their appearance. He stressed that addressing this requires a broader societal awareness, including men who are prepared to challenge the status quo, adding that the CDU and the CDU’s parliamentary group are already fully committed to this cause and do not need guidance from the left.
Furthermore, Amthor stated his intention to defend past achievements in gender equality, particularly against the far right, such as the AfD. He described rhetoric coming from the extreme right-which features biological arguments and stereotypical gender roles, portraying women as a “weaker sex”-as absurd. He argued that protecting existing societal achievements requires more than just focusing on forward progress, demanding a defense against extreme views. He noted that while some might prefer organizing demonstrations and making signs, the everyday dimension of this struggle is being overlooked.
It is worth noting that Amthor has previously contradicted specific feminist demands. In 2019, for instance, he advocated for maintaining the criminal abortion ban and the so-called “advertising ban” for abortions. That same year, he criticized the proposal to mandatorily allocate half of parliamentary list seats to women and men, calling it unconstitutional. More recently, in 2023, he campaigned for a ban on gender criteria within state institutions.