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In the dispute over the transmission fee, a government crisis threatens in Saxony-Anhalt. After Interior Minister Stahlknecht brought a minority CDU government into play, Prime Minister Haseloff expelled him.
The Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, removed the Minister of the Interior of the State, Holger Stahlknecht. During the Prime Minister’s continuing efforts to stabilize the “Kenyan coalition”, Stahlknecht had “uncoordinated” and “publicly suggested the breakup of the coalition and the possibility of a minority government consisting solely of the CDU,” the State Chancellery declared.
Haseloff stressed that, especially in view of the crown pandemic, his goal remains “to lead a government that is capable of acting in all respects and also has reliable majorities in the state parliament.” The trust relationship necessary for this, which is particularly necessary in the direction of the Ministry of the Interior, was “so seriously disturbed by the actions of Stahlknecht that it can no longer belong to the state government.” You have already given Stahlknecht the discharge certificate.
Stahlknecht, who has also been the head of the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt for two good years, had long been negotiated as a possible successor to Haseloff. However, after several missteps and scandals in his ministry and at the CDU, he had prioritized the prime minister in the top candidate for the upcoming state elections in June 2021.
Dispute over the radio license fee
Earlier, Stahlknecht had confirmed his party’s no to increase the radio rate. In the “Volksstimme” in Magdeburg he no longer rules out a break in the coalition. If the SPD and the Greens let the coalition collapse, “there would be a minority government from the CDU and regular state elections on June 6, 2021.”
Stahlknecht responded negatively on whether the CDU will step down from office before the December 9 media committee meeting: “The CDU will not step down.” He criticized that the discussion gave the impression that it was only about 86 cents per household and month: “In total, however, we are talking about a sum of 1,500 million euros in four years, which the public broadcasters should obtain more per year. “The CDU parliamentary group rightly questions whether there have been enough austerity efforts. Furthermore, public broadcasters “insufficiently mapped” the transformation process in the East German states. They reported “occasionally with raised index finger of moralizing.”
He also criticized the commission for determining the financial needs of the broadcasting corporations (KEF): “KEF presents its proposals oiled, anointed and no longer vulnerable.” One wonders if this procedure is still up to date: “It cannot be that the state parliaments in Germany will demote to Abnickvereinen.”
The SPD and the Greens perceive an attempted coup
The radio license fee is expected to increase to 18.36 euros next year. Only in Saxony-Anhalt there is no majority for this. So far there is still no convergence there. The SPD and the Greens accused Stahlknecht of wanting to use the dispute to overthrow Haseloff.
“Now there is clarity,” tweeted the leader of the Greens parliamentary group, Cornelia Lüddemann, in anticipation of Stahlknecht’s interview. The CDU was never concerned with public broadcasting, but with the overthrow of Haseloff and the preparation of a minority government with the AfD. The leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Katja Pähle, accused Stahlknecht of pursuing personal goals. “Someone here wants to have a chance to win the power struggle in the CDU after all,” Pähle said. “The attempt at a strategic shift to the right is a deliberate breaking of the dam and an open declaration of war on the Prime Minister.”
Discontent in the CDU too
The interview also created a tense mood in the state CDU, there is talk of outbursts of anger. Christian Democrats have been trying for weeks to ensure that their basic position on public broadcasting differs significantly from that of the AfD. Public broadcasters are correct and important, the media politician Markus Kurz repeated over and over again. However, the stations are too big and expensive, he explained, why his parliamentary group is voting against the rate hike and wants to block it across the country.
The AfD also rejects the state treaty that includes the premium and has a majority in the state parliament with the Christian Democrats. The AfD opposition is fundamentally against the quote system.
Stahlknecht was often criticized
The uncoordinated interview is part of a whole chain of incidents with which Stahlknecht has drawn criticism in recent years. Just a few weeks ago, the president of the Central Council of Jews, Armin Schuster, suggested that he resign and accused him of promoting anti-Semitism with statements on police protection of Jewish institutions. Other examples were the hesitant expulsion of a CDU district executive in Anhalt-Bitterfeld, who had a neo-Nazi folk motif tattooed on his arm, or the hasty and ultimately unsuccessful appointment of controversial police unionist Rainer Wendt as Secretary of State.
