CDU leadership pushes ahead with expulsion proceedings against Maaßen
The CDU leadership in Berlin is pressing ahead with proceedings to expel the former President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Hans-Georg Maaßen, despite a contrary decision by a district party court in Thuringia. The Federal Executive Committee will lodge an appeal against the decision of the district party court, CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann announced on Monday following a corresponding decision by the committee in Berlin. The next instance is now the state party court in Thuringia.
"We remain convinced that Dr. Maaßen is causing serious damage to the party through his conduct and is continuing to do so in a blatant manner," said Linnemann, explaining the decision.
In July, the district party court responsible at first instance rejected Maaßen's expulsion from the party and ruled that he should have his membership rights restored. The court issued a "reprimand" against Maaßen for a guest article in the magazine "Die Weltwoche". It accused him of associating a "left wing of the CDU" with an "ideology of the so-called anti-Germans in the left-wing parties".
Maaßen, a long-time CDU member, is the head of the Werte-Union, which is considered particularly conservative but is not a party organization. He stood as a candidate in a constituency in southern Thuringia in the 2021 Bundestag elections, but was unsuccessful. Maaßen had also come under heavy criticism in his own party due to several controversial statements - for example, for claiming in a tweet that the "driving forces in the political-media space" were "eliminatory racism against whites".
Despite the district party court's decision to restore Maaßen's membership rights, the CDU leadership in Berlin is still pursuing expulsion proceedings against him due to his damaging conduct. The CDU, led by Secretary General Carsten Linnemann, plans to appeal the district court's decision and bring the case to the state party court in Thuringia.
Source: www.dpa.com
