Opinion
The CSU is spreading false information about an alleged dog ban by the Greens. It’s a cheap campaign.
“Green ban madness is getting more and more crazy!” writes the CSU on its Instagram channel. Below that is a headline from the “Bild” newspaper: a “puppy enemy” is the new “junior leader of the Greens”. In a video, accompanied by sad-sounding music, you can see the CSU general secretary with a dog. They are “companions, heartaches, family members and playmates,” says Martin Huber into the camera. The Green Youth wants to ban this and “take away a loyal friend from you”.
Only that’s not true. Neither the Greens nor the Green Youth want to ban pets. It’s a cheap campaign by the CSU – and it’s a lie. This should be out of the question for a centrist people’s party; it is the tool of the populists and divisive people.
What’s behind it? At the weekend, Jakob Blasel, one of the best-known activists in the German climate movement, was elected to head the Green Party’s youth association together with Jette Nietzard. Shortly afterwards, the “Bild” newspaper unearthed a quote from the now 24-year-old from a television program from 2019.
Ban on dogs? That’s what the Green youth leader said
In the program “Ozon” from Funk, the youth format of ARD and ZDF, Blasel spoke about the climate impact of pets. It was about which pet causes the most CO2 when kept, which is the best material for dog waste bags and what pet owners can pay attention to in order to be more sustainable. Blasel also gave his own assessment in the video: “In my opinion, it should be forbidden to breed animals unnecessarily.” You should “perhaps pay attention to getting animals from the animal shelter” if you would like to have a pet.
It may not have been the most substantial contribution to climate protection – but to conclude that the Green Youth or the Greens wanted to ban or “take away” pets is simply wrong.
The Green Party leader counters with humor
It is a transparent calculation by the CSU. She is likely to hope that such campaigns will consolidate the Greens’ image in public perception as a “banned party”. The current party leader of the Green Party, Ricarda Lang, tries humor, posts dog photos on her account and comments on the CSU post with the sentence: “‘They’re eating the dogs’ ordered on request.” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump used this sentence to accuse migrants of eating locals’ pets – an unfounded claim.
The humor must not obscure the fact that this is a monstrous event: In this case, lies are not circulating on dubious portals or in Telegram chats, but are being actively spread by a party that, at least in Bavaria, has claimed responsibility assumes that it supports the state. The CSU is crossing a line here. We can only hope that she will come to her senses.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
