The CDU’s basic program continues to attract criticism: now a former prime minister has also intervened.
The former Prime Minister of Saarland, Tobias Hans (CDU), has criticized the new version of the controversial wording on Muslims in the draft of the CDU’s basic program. “I find the old and new formulation of the basic program cramped and obsolete. It has a stigmatizing effect and, for me, that suits neither the CDU nor Germany. I hope it will be rejected at the party conference,” writes Hans on Platform X.
The CDU had changed the controversial wording on Muslims in the draft of its new policy program. Originally, a subheading of sorts in the draft program said: “Muslims who share our values belong to Germany.” This became: “Muslims are part of the religious diversity of Germany and our society.” This sentence was then inserted into the following paragraph: “An Islam that does not share our values and rejects our free society does not belong to Germany.”
The Central Council of Muslims had previously also rejected the formulation. “Another attempt by the Christian Democratic Union to fish in murky waters to stigmatize Muslims,” said Central Council Chairman Aiman Mazyek to the editorial network Germany.
“If anything, wording that appeals to all worldviews and religious communities would be acceptable, rather than singling out one in particular and labeling it negatively.” This selective approach serves “anti-Muslim resentments and stereotypes, apart from the broader debate about a so-called dominant culture.”
The new version was approved by the application committee at the weekend. The original formulation sparked strong criticism; SPD leader Lars Klingbeil spoke of the rhetorical exclusion of an entire population group.