After the death of Pope Francis: Criticism of Söder after Selfie before funeral service

Markus Söder caused irritation before the funeral for Pope Francis with a smile selfie with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “Especially in Rome: Now the convoy with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is going to the Vatican for the funeral service for the late Pope Francis,” Söder posted.

Criticism followed promptly: “Funnel displacement money is very undeniable. The funeral of the Pope is not the Oktoberfest,” wrote the FDP politician Marie-Egnes Strack-Zimmermann on X. “You can be happy that Söder does not have a kebab in his hand.” The picture did not like the left-wing politician Dietmar Bartsch either. “A trace too happy for a funeral service. I think,” posted Bartsch. Numerous other users also criticized the recording as tactless.

Hardly arrived in the Italian capital, Söder had drawn attention to himself with several photos of the funeral service. “Very moving moments in #rom shortly before the start of the requiem. We will miss Pope #franziskus very much,” wrote the Bavarian Prime Minister to a photo of himself on St. Peter’s Square on his social media channels. “It is moving how many people will say goodbye to him here at St. Peter’s Square in the #Vatican and worldwide at home.”

Outrage also in the sister party

The CSU politician’s post also caused anger in the sister party CDU. “It is an impressive talent to turn every dung heap of a climatic health resort, but there are apparently no shame and piet boundaries,” said Dennis Radtke, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Employment in Germany (CDA), the “Tagesspiegel”. The CDU European Member accused Söder of staging “politics as a pure event, including infantilization and banalization”. “I am not surprised that many people in our country can no longer take the whole company seriously.”

Former NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet put a post in relation to the meeting of US President Donald Trump with the Ukrainian head of state Wolodymyr Selenskyj in Rome, but without a name: “Impressive how the mighty of the world in Rome come together in the knowledge of the importance of religion for billions of people. People who are existentially apart but still seek exchange. “

Söder pulls the final balance sheet

After the funeral service, Söder came back in a video again on Instagram, spoke of a very moving moment and also emphasized positive sides for him: “What was nice: not only grief, but also a lot, a lot of gratitude, also some pleasure to have had this pope, to have got to know him and have experienced it,” said Söder.

In addition to Söder and Steinmeier, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also included the German delegation in Rome. His probable successor as Federal Chancellor, CDU boss Friedrich Merz, was missing in the burial of Pope Francis.