Maischberger asks Lindner: Say the truth – or Habeck?

It is always uncomfortable to get caught lying. But already being suspected of having flunk a little, brings the suspect on the defensive. Or just on the offensive. This is exactly what ex-finance minister Christian Lindner happened in the evening in the ARD show “Maischberger”.

Christian Lindner sits in a three-round, together with SPD boss Saskia Esken (SPD) and the moderator Sandra Maischberger, when a film is recorded. It is an excerpt from the one that traces the last days of the traffic light coalition. The few seconds shown revolve around a paper that the Chancellor presented to the coalition partners before breaking the traffic lights. Among other things, it deals with additional aid of three billion euros for Ukraine – linked to an exemption for the debt brake.

Lindner describes the document in the film as follows: “Either you undertake this paper, or the coalition is over, you lose your office.” The journalist Stephan Lamby asks the ex-finance minister whether Lindner surprised this paper. “Yes,” replies Christian Lindner. “And obviously the Greens too.” Then a hard cut on Robert Habeck.

The Minister of Economy says: “No, I knew that. I knew that Lindner also knew. Everyone who was sitting on the evening knew with a good time that this evening had to make a decision (…). Nobody was surprised. ” The interviewer then confronts Habeck by saying Lindner said that he was surprised. Habeck just shakes his head: “Nobody was surprised,” repeats the Minister of Economy.

Cut into the studio, on Christian Lindner. One question is in the room: “Who says the truth?” Did the FDP top candidate lie in front of the camera? The ex-finance minister chooses a popular strategy: he goes on the offensive: “So first of all interesting that you can replay ‘ZDF History’ here,” he says of Sandra Maischberger. It intervenes directly: “With alleviation, this is not ‘ZDF History’, but it is the ARD and it is Stephan Lamby and it is somewhere else in terms of level.”

Christian Lindner then claims that “it” does not voice in the matter. Anyone who serves Google can check that. “The paper of Olaf Scholz (…) was first presented on Wednesday, both Mr. Habeck and me. That didn’t exist before, this paper.” Then Saskia Esken reports: “By the way, I was there too.” Maischberger asks: “And?” Pause. Nobody says anything. “Exactly,” says Christian Lindner. “So this paper only existed on Wednesday,” says the ex-finance minister, accompanied by a knowing giggle of the SPD leader in the background. For a moment it seems as if Christian Lindner was able to correctly put a false assertion from Robert Habeck.

A few seconds later, Esken clarifies: “This proposal does not only exist on Wednesday, but before.” The content was already talked about on Sunday. “I don’t know whether it was written down, but you can also listen to,” she says to Christian Lindner. “In this respect, the proposal was clear.” This statement coincides with the. The FDP had planned the end of the traffic lights in advance.