Criticism of Thomas Kemmerich for the crown protest: the FDP politician admits mistakes



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Former Thuringian Prime Minister Thomas Kemmerich admitted that he misbehaved during a rally against crown restrictions in Gera (s. also update under text) It was a mistake that he temporarily did not comply with the distance rules and did not wear a face mask, the chairman of the parliamentary group FDP said in the Thuringian state parliament on Sunday.

Before starting a walk call, she made sure these hygiene rules were followed. Then he could not, as several photos show. “I can only apologize for that,” said Kemmerich. At the same time, he said it was never his intention to offer a platform with the AfD rally or conspiracy theorists. But he realizes that he did exactly that.

He had previously been harshly criticized for his behavior, even within his own party, for example, by Christian Lindner, leader of the FDP. “Thomas Kemmerich’s action weakens our arguments,” Lindner said on Twitter. “I do not understand that”. Anyone campaigning for civil rights and a “smart opening strategy” should not speak out with “dark circles.”

Kemmerich participated in protests against crown-related restrictions in Germany on Saturday in Gera, East Thuringia. For example, you can see in pictures how Kemmerich runs close to other protesters without a mouth guard. Around 600 people participated in the demonstration according to police reports. According to Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) and a report from the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (RND), AfD representatives also participated in the demonstration.

The FDP politician resigned: “I no longer feel like justifying myself for Thomas Kemmerich”

Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (Die Linke) wrote in a photo that Kemmerich showed at the protest march: “Keep your distance or cover your mouth? None!

In addition, Ramelow spread the Twitter post of Vice President of the FDP Saarbrücken faction, Tobias Raab, who described Kemmerich’s behavior as “being embarrassed.” “I no longer feel like justifying myself for Kemmerich, either completely resistant to learning or having a problem with rights delimitation, none of these jobs in place,” Raab continued.

Environment Minister Anja Siegesmund (Greens) criticized the fact that the FDP politician praised himself for running “against the responsibility of all our health” along with the AfD and conspiracy theorists.

Criticism of Kemmerich also increasingly comes from the party itself. “Being liberal does not mean being against something on principle, especially when it protects people,” MP Bundestag member Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann wrote on Twitter.

Ria Schröder, the president of Young Liberals, said, without naming Kemmerich by name, “who deliberately ignores hygiene measures and aligns with right-wing extremists is not in the middle, but puts us all in danger and undermines the constructive work “of the FDP.

Former Thuringian Prime Minister Thomas Kemmerich confirmed his participation in the protest train on Saturday night on Twitter. Kemmerich wrote that he had participated in an event in Gera for “proportionality and a crown departure sparingly and sparingly”. In several German cities, thousands protested against the measures in Saturday’s pandemic.

This is not the first time that the FDP politician has been criticized for his behavior. Kemmerich was elected prime minister in Thuringia on February 5 with the votes of AfD, CDU and FDP, causing outrage and protests across the country. He resigned three days after his election.

* Update, May 10, 12.25 p.m.: Christian Lindner, party leader and faction of the FDP Bundestag, has commented on the process around Thomas Kemmerich. We have updated the text accordingly.

* Update: May 10, 3:37 PM: Thomas Kemmerich commented and admitted that he had behaved incorrectly. We have updated the text accordingly.



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