Rehlinger: Merz is damaging Germany
Saarland Minister President Anke Rehlinger has sharply criticized CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had reached out to the opposition leader on the issue of migration, the SPD state leader said at a party conference in Völklingen on Friday evening. "However, I think it is detrimental to Germany that Merz used this as a party tactic and did not take this outstretched hand." She would have liked it "if the democrats in the federal government had worked together to bring more order to migration policy", said Rehlinger.
In the past, the SPD had often been reminded by the CDU/CSU to take responsibility for state policy. "This would have been a place where the CDU/CSU could have taken responsibility for state policy." Rehlinger accused Merz of having a "bottom line is what counts" mentality. This "is damaging Germany in terms of migration policy and it is also damaging when it comes to restructuring this business location."
The SPD-led traffic light coalition had "started very hopefully", said Rehlinger. "I very much hope for all of us in this country that the coalition will find its way back to this point. I very much hope for the jolt that one or the other will have to give for this."
The Saar SPD confirmed its party chairwoman Rehlinger in office on Friday with 98.7 percent of the vote.
Rehlinger suggested that it would have been beneficial for migration policy if the SPD and CDU/CSU had collaborated more closely, given the party's history of reminding the SPD about state policy responsibilities. However, she expressed concern that Merz's strategy of using migration as a party tactic is damaging to Germany's migration policy and its business location restructuring, following his refusal of Scholz's outstretched hand on the issue.
Source: www.dpa.com
