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Status: 11/17/2020 8:43 pm
The Minister of the Interior of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lorenz Caffier (CDU), resigns after 14 years in office. Buying a gun from a dealer with a connection to the scene on the right was the stumbling block.
In a personal statement Tuesday, Caffier cited “the unspeakable reports” on him as the reason for his move. It pains him deeply that the reports “suggest some closeness to right-wing circles.” “I can only vigorously deny this accusation,” Caffier said. However, the headlines would have burned into people’s minds. However, this hurts him deeply. He said it was “an extremely heavy burden” for him. Meanwhile, the CDU proposed the chairman of the CDU parliamentary group, Torsten Renz, as Caffier’s successor. The 56-year-old former vocational school teacher first moved into state parliament in 2002.
Gun purchase early 2018
Caffier had admitted last Friday that he had bought a gun to hunt in 2018 from a trafficker who was later said to have connections to the far-right network “Nordkreuz.” Caffier had claimed that he did not know at the time of purchase. He did not learn of salesman Frank T.’s far-right efforts until May 2019, almost a year and a half after the January 2018 purchase. Caffier says he is extremely upset that, as a hunter, he has T. and not from another licensed arms dealer. have acquired. With the knowledge of 2019, he would not have bought the weapon there. The arms purchase came to light at the end of last week thanks to an investigation by the newspaper “taz”. Caffier initially described the inquiries about this as a “private matter.”
Caffier blames the reports
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In his communication, Caffier spoke of “completely uninhibited reporting.” It is true that he acquired thick skin in the 14 years in office. But now he must “recognize that in this situation I no longer have the necessary authority to exercise with all my might the post of Interior Minister until September 2021.” The CDU politician wants to maintain his mandate in the state parliament.
Schwesig responds with respect and praises successor candidate Renz
Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) took Caffier’s resignation “with respect,” as she said in a press release that night. Caffier admitted his mistake on the gun issue. She respects that he still fears that his person will continue to be harmed and therefore resigns. Schwesig thanked Caffier for his political work for the country. You have always worked with him with confidence. She assumes that the SPD and CDU will successfully continue their work in her coalition. Regarding the proposed successor to Caffier, Schwesig said: “I have worked closely with Torsten Renz in the fight against the crown. And I am confident that this good cooperation will continue.”
CDU shows understanding for Caffier’s move
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Renz paid tribute to Caffier for his decision to resign. “From a human perspective, I can absolutely understand that the last few days have left a mark on someone like Lorenz Caffier.” He hoped that “the partly unworthy discussions about Caffier will come to an end,” said the chairman of the CDU parliamentary group. The party’s state chairman, Michael Sack, said Caffier had “shaped the CDU Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania like few others.” The resignation is “understandable after the harsh accusations he has faced recently.”
Landtag SPD: a logical step
Thomas Krüger, chairman of the SPD parliamentary group in the state parliament, said the resignation was “the logical and correct consequence of the contradictions raised and the unanswered questions of the past few days.” As Minister of the Interior, Caffier’s integrity was permanently in doubt. The chairman of the left-wing parliamentary group in the state parliament, Simone Oldenburg, and domestic policy spokesman Peter Ritter “took note” of Caffier’s resignation. However, questions about the purchase of weapons and the role of state and federal government authorities and services in dealing with the Nordkreuz network remained open. The leader of the AfD parliamentary group, Nikolaus Kramer, said the resignation was unnecessary: “The suspicion arises that the future top candidate of the CDU will be helped here to a ministerial position to be better positioned for the electoral campaign ”.
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