Sven Schulze, the Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt and a member of the CDU, has defended his joint appearances with the actor and comedian Dieter Hallervorden against internal party criticism regarding his actions.
Speaking to “Bild”, Schulze stated that “Dieter Hallervorden is someone who is popular across all of Germany.” He then questioned the limits of freedom of expression, asking, “If I can no longer stand on stage with Hallervorden, where does that eventually end?”
Schulze sought to firmly reject the idea that only the AfD allows him the freedom to express his views, calling the assertion “absolute nonsense.” He emphasized that by appearing on stage with someone who may not always agree with him, he is demonstrating how freedom of opinion works. “We show that the freedom of expression we have fought for is also permitted,” Schulze explained. He added that the public expects this sort of openness from the CDU, saying, “People say: That is exactly what we expect from a CDU. We expect it from you, Mr. Schulze.”
When asked whether Hallervorden’s statements, particularly those about Gaza during their joint appearance, had surprised him, Schulze replied that they had not. “No. That is part of his program. I know that.” He clarified that he has made it clear that he does not share every single piece of content. Instead, he highlighted the importance of maintaining an environment where people are permitted to hold differing opinions-even intensely opposing ones-while still respecting one another.
Schulze does not view the relationship with the CDU at the federal level as being permanently damaged, especially given that the party’s General Secretary, Franziska Hoppermann, had previously criticized remarks made by Hallervorden concerning Gaza. The Minister-President stressed that he has a strong interest in the success of the new CDU leadership over many years, and he intends to contribute to that success, just as he has in the past. He stated that the CDU leadership in Berlin would confirm this commitment.
Finally, Schulze insisted that people should not exaggerate individual sentences into major crises, asserting that he had made his position clear, and requested that his clarification be respected.
