03/05/2025March 5, 2025
CSU leader Söder delivers blistering attack on coalition, Greens on Ash Wednesday
The leader of Bavaria’s Markus Söder, has taken advantage of the humoristic leeway given to German politicians on Ash Wednesday to lambaste the outgoing – coalition.
In remarks made as the CSU, along with its sister party, the Christian Democrats (CDU), is participating in exploratory coalition talks with the SPD, Söder, who is also Bavarian premier, had harsh words for Social Democrat Chancellor .
“The nightmare of three years of Olaf Scholz is history from today,” he said in his Ash Wednesday speech in the southern city of Passau.
He claimed — in what can be seen as an exaggeration suited to the occasion — that the CSU was the main winner of February federal elections.
“Dear Prussians, understand that from now on nothing in Germany can work without Bavaria,” he said, using the name the Bavarians often give to Germans living to the north of the border of their state in reference to historical antagonisms.
But Söder’s main venom was reserved for the Green Party and particularly outgoing Green Economy Minister , to whom he symbolically called out in English, “Goodbye,” before switching to German to add “Have a good trip, till we never meet again.”
Söder did strike some more serious tones in his speech, calling, among other things, for Germany to massively increase its defense capabilities.
“Make Germany, make Europe, make Bavaria stronger than ever before,” he called out to loud applause.
Political Ash Wednesday, which traditionally sees much mud-slinging between rival lawmakers, is seen as an obligatory event for Bavarian politicians. This year, the CDU and SPD leaders decided against participating as they pursue their exploratory talks.
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