A senior German parliamentarian has strongly condemned remarks made by a leading figure within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, raising concerns about potential interference with media independence. Omid Nouripour, Vice President of the Bundestag and representing the Green Party, criticized CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann for suggesting a freeze on public broadcasting fees in response to a personnel change at the North German Broadcasting Corporation (NDR).
Nouripour, in a published commentary, described Linnemann’s statements as “indisputable” arguing that the NDR’s decision to replace a presenter on a news program was an internal editorial matter, not a political one. He emphasized that disagreements over such decisions should be debated within journalistic circles, not used as leverage for political pressure.
The Green Party politician drew a direct comparison between Linnemann’s actions and a recent controversy in the United States, where the head of a US licensing authority threatened to revoke the license of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s broadcasting network. “This is censorship” Nouripour asserted.
He further criticized Wolfram Weimer, the German government’s Minister of State for Culture, for failing to publicly denounce Linnemann’s remarks. Nouripour stressed that any attempt at censorship should be a concern for all who value democratic principles, highlighting the importance of protecting press freedom.
Nouripour expressed broader anxieties regarding the state of press freedom both in Germany and the United States, warning of a potential erosion of democratic norms. He cautioned against a decline in respectful standards and processes, suggesting a worrying trend across both nations.
