CDU crisis: Rhine wants to revive the “cityscape” debate

dpa | After the AfD election successes, Hesse's Prime Minister Boris Rhein believes it is necessary to continue the discussion about changing the "cityscape" triggered by statements by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (both CDU). The debate that Merz initiated was right, Rhein told “Bild am Sonntag”. However, it was then said “hastyly”: “You can’t discuss it like that.” Rhein made it clear: “Yes, we have to discuss it, and in the end we also have to learn lessons from it.”

Merz said about a year ago that the federal government was correcting previous failures in migration policy and making progress, "but of course we still have this problem in the cityscape." He later specified that problems were caused by migrants who did not have permanent residence status, did not work and did not follow the rules in Germany.

Prime Minister Rhein said the migration crisis had been addressed with “big steps” but had not yet been resolved. "Of course we have a problem, for example with immigration into the social systems. You have to say it like that and then find a solution." There is also an issue with crime committed by immigrants. "It doesn't make any sense to hide these issues behind a firewall or never discuss them again. They won't disappear because of that," said Rhein.

The AfD more than doubled its result in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from 16.7 to 38.2 percent and thus emerged as the winner of the state election in the third federal state after Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt. In Saxony-Anhalt, it had previously achieved its highest result to date in a state election with 43.8 percent - just missing an absolute majority.

Nationwide, the AfD remains unchanged at 29 percent in a recent Insa survey for “Bild am Sonntag”. The Union has lost one point compared to the survey a week ago and is now at 19 percent. In a YouGov survey published in mid-September, the Union even reached a historic low of 18 percent - the AfD was also at 29 percent.

When asked what he now expects from the Chancellor, Rhein said: “We have to regain the authority to interpret the everyday questions of normal people as a centrist party.” The fuel price brake is a good answer. “But it is paradoxical to decide to cap fuel prices and take money out of people’s pockets at the supermarket checkout.” Rhein was alluding to planned higher taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sparkling wine.