"Mehmet belongs to Berlin just like Michael"

The Berlin CDU state chairman Kai Wegner has defended the CDU's request for the first names of the suspects after the New Year's Eve riots, with which a migration background was to be clarified. "Only if I name problems can I solve them properly," Wegner said on Friday on RBB Inforadio. "If I want to make tailor-made prevention offers (...), then I have to know the background." At the same time, Wegner said: "Mehmet belongs to Berlin just like Michael does." "how to behave". This would include all people “who live peacefully here and who follow the rules and we don’t want to exclude them, quite the opposite, they are Berlin”.

Wegner stated: "We have a problem of violence in Berlin from the right, from the left, but sometimes also from young people with a migration background." You have to address them, "about role models, about athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, employees, about police officers too, by the way." He added: "And we want to give these tailor-made offers." In a press release, the CDU added that the answer to violence must be "clear". At the same time, it is about integration and targeted prevention.

On the controversial issue of the expropriation of housing groups, a decision is being sought from the highest courts, said Wegner. He rejects “arbitrary expropriation”, but takes the referendum seriously. First, the commission of experts has to finish its work, then, if necessary, a law can be drawn up that can be checked by a court for its constitutional conformity. But he was "very sure" that the courts would not agree.

The CDU and SPD would have to talk again about the equally controversial extension of the autobahn in Berlin-Treptow in the coalition negotiations and also include the Berliners.

Wegner announced that he was aiming for a coalition of equals with the SPD. In the exploratory talks with the SPD, many overlapping content became visible. As an example, he named new residential construction, the turnaround in traffic, which also “takes a look at car drivers”, and the area of ​​safety. One wants to achieve a "coalition of reason".

The CDU state executive spoke out in favor of coalition negotiations with the SPD on Thursday. According to Wegner, the negotiations should be over in four weeks, i.e. at the end of March, and the coalition agreement should be ready. Then follow the member survey of the SPD. Wegner said Thursday that the new Senate could start in late April or early May.

If the coalition talks are successfully concluded, 50-year-old Wegner is likely to become the new governing mayor and replace Franziska Giffey, who has only been in office since December 2021. Giffey had announced that she wanted to become a senator.

CDU top candidate Kai Wegner has the best chance of moving into the Rotes Rathaus in Berlin in place of Franziska Giffey. His party has spoken out in favor of coalition negotiations with the SPD. "I am firmly assuming that we can do it with the Social Democrats," said Wegner.

Source: WORLD