Remarks concerning Scholz - Strack-Zimmermann expresses regret for making an analogy with autism.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, a politician from the Free Democratic Party (FDP), has expressed remorse for her comments about German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. She spoke to the German Press Agency in Berlin and acknowledged she had used an inappropriate comparison, unintentionally causing offense to individuals with autism. She's reaching out to those affected, but hasn't explicitly apologized to Scholz.
According to the interview with the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung", Strack-Zimmermann labeled Scholz as a "determined litigator" with "almost autistic tendencies". She now explained her frustration with Scholz's dialogic feedback and the insults he made against fellow coalition members who didn't agree with him. According to Strack-Zimmermann, this isn't just detrimental to the political terrain but the entire country.
Admitting her mistake, she expressed regret for going beyond the mark with the comments. "I've been advocating for children, youth, and those with special needs and abilities for a long time. Politics should show more care for such individuals," she added. She promised to be more cautious in the future and vowed to learn from it.
The remarks caused severe discomfort in the SPD thereafter. The party's leader, Lars Klingbeil, suggested Strack-Zimmermann issue an apology to Scholz. However, he acknowledged the agreement on a fair European election campaign among democratic parties. Klingbeil told Bild, "This is unacceptable verbal deviation. If Mrs. Strack-Zimmermann possesses any decency, she'll apologize to the chancellor."
The SPD elite were critical of the remarks, deeming them "a total failure". Deputy SPD parliamentary group leader Dirk Wiese labeled them as insulting, disrespectful, and unforeseen. SPD general secretary Kevin Kühnert criticized the party leader for being disrespectful towards Scholz. "When someone has no more arguments, they resort to verbal insults against their political opponents," he said in the 'Rheinische Post'.
Strack-Zimmermann is known for supporting extensive aid for Ukraine in their war against Russia. This has led to repeated criticism of Scholz's hesitancy to supply weapons to Kyiv. The FDP defense expert reiterated that her remarks weren't solely about Scholz's Ukraine policy during her interview, adding, "This involves all issues and is confirmed by her party colleagues." Original Text
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- The German Press Agency reported that Strack-Zimmermann made her comments about Scholz in an interview with the 'Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung' based in Germany.
- Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, is a member of the SPD party, while Strack-Zimmermann is a prominent figure in the FDP coalition partner.
- The controversial remarks by Strack-Zimmermann about Scholz's "almost autistic tendencies" have sparked concerns in Europe, with calls for an apology from the FDP leadership.
- The Federal Government, led by Scholz, and the party leaders of both SPD and FDP are engaged in discussions on how to move forward following the controversy.
- The German autism community has expressed dissatisfaction with Strack-Zimmermann's comments, highlighting the importance of responsible language in political discourse.
- Lars Klingbeil, the SPD party leader, has urged Strack-Zimmermann to issue an apology to Scholz, emphasizing the need for unity in the German and European political landscape.
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