(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.”