A Muslim as German chancellor? CDU leader slammed for saying ‘why not’ The party of Chancellor Angela Merkel has been roiled by a debate about whether a Muslim could lead the CDU and one day become chancellor. One lawmaker couldn't believe anyone would even suggest such a thing.

March 7, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) The parliamentary group leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has sparked a divisive debate after he said a Muslim could be a future CDU leader and chancellor of Germany.

Asked by media outlet Idea if a Muslim could lead the party and become chancellor in 2030, Ralph Brinkhaus said: “Why not, if they’re a good politician, and they represent our values and our political views?”

The interview took place in late February, but it stirred a backlash only after Bild, Germany’s biggest tabloid newspaper, reported on it on Wednesday.

Shock and horror among CDU colleagues

“For the love of God, I can’t believe Ralph Brinkhaus said that,” Vincent Kokert, the CDU’s chief in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, told the paper. “No, I can’t believe it.”

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