Kohl choice for president under fire
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.BONN - Helmut Kohl's preferred candidate to become German president next year looks increasingly likely to bring little but political embarrassment, with mounting opposition on all sides - including within Mr Kohl's own party, writes Steve Crawshaw.
There was yet more criticism yesterday of Steffen Heitmann, Justice Minister of the east German state of Saxony, who Chancellor Kohl and the Christian Democrats have officially declared to be the best successor to Richard von Weizsacker, who retires as president next May.
Peter-Michael Diestel, Christian Democrat interior minister in the first and last democratically elected east German government, in the months before German unity, yesterday complained of Mr Heitmann's 'old-fashioned and outdated conservatism'. Mr Heitmann's statements on issues - including the role of women and German attitudes to the Holocaust - have been hugely controversial.
Meanwhile, Mr Kohl's coalition partners, the Free Democrats, agreed yesterday to propose a candidate of their own, the 72-year-old Hildegard Hamm-Brucher. The Free Democrats originally wanted Hans-Dietrich Genscher, by far the most popular candidate, but he has insisted that he will not stand.
Criticism from the opposition Social Democrats has been more or less predictable. Much more damning, however, has been criticism from within the Christian Democrats' own ranks. Friedbert Pfluger, a Christian Democrat and former presidential spokesman, set the cat among the party pigeons by publishing a devastating attack on Mr Heitmann in this week's Die Zeit.
Mr Kohl had argued that an east German should be appointed. But, Mr Pfluger suggests, 'Steffen Heitmann does not integrate, he polarises. Each of his statements unleashes controversy.'
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments