Politics · Germany · 1 hr ago
Markus Lanz accuses Lars Klingbeil of worsening political tensions
Markus Lanz challenged Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil on a German television talk show over his criticism of the CDU.
Klingbeil had called the CDU’s criticism of Bärbel Bas “indecent” and said it poisoned political debate.
Bas, a Social Democratic Party politician, had resigned, and the dispute followed her departure.
Lanz said Klingbeil was also poisoning the debate, while journalist Eva Quadbeck argued that he was using the situation to attack the coalition partner.
Quadbeck also criticized Manuela Schwesig’s stronger attack on the CDU, saying her use of the word “inhuman” went too far.
Former SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel said he did not know whether the dispute was being used as a political strategy.
Gabriel warned that public attacks between coalition partners could help the AfD, a far-right party in Germany.
Markus Lanz accused Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil of worsening political tensions by criticising the CDU over its comments about Bärbel Bas.
Lanz said Klingbeil was “part of the poisoning” of political debate.
Journalist Eva Quadbeck said criticism of the CDU appeared to be a strategy to make the coalition partner look bad.
Former SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel said he did not know whether the situation was being used as a political strategy.
Gabriel warned that public criticism between coalition partners could benefit the AfD.
- Who
- Markus Lanz accused Lars Klingbeil of worsening political tensions. Journalist Eva Quadbeck and former SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel also commented.
- What
- Lanz said Klingbeil was contributing to the poisoning of political debate. The discussion concerned SPD criticism of the CDU over its comments about Bärbel Bas.
- When
- The broadcast was reported on October 14, 2026. The article also refers to events since September 23.
- Where
- On Markus Lanz’s television talk show. The broadcaster is not stated in the article text.
- Why
- Klingbeil had called CDU criticism of Bas “indecent” and said it poisoned political discourse. Lanz and Quadbeck argued that attacks on the CDU could worsen tensions with the coalition partner.
Markus Lanz and Eva Quadbeck
Lars Klingbeil and Manuela Schwesig
Political criticism
Markus Lanz and Eva Quadbeck
Lanz said Klingbeil was part of the poisoning of political debate, while Quadbeck said the attacks made the coalition partner look bad.
Lars Klingbeil and Manuela Schwesig
Klingbeil called CDU criticism of Bas “indecent” and said it poisoned political discourse; Schwesig called the CDU’s conduct “below the belt, undignified, inhuman.
Bärbel Bas withdrew from the government district, citing a need to accompany someone through the dying process and then a bereavement.
Lanz’s show discussed criticism of the CDU following Bas’s resignation and included comments by Quadbeck and Gabriel.
- Lars Klingbeil
- SPD vice-chancellor
- Manuela Schwesig
- SPD minister-president of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Bärbel Bas
- Her resignation was discussed on the show
- Sigmar Gabriel
- Former SPD leader and guest on Lanz’s show
- September 23
- Date from which Quadbeck assessed events
- AfD
- Gabriel said public conflict between coalition partners could help the party
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What people are saying
You are part of the poisoning!
The word “inhuman” is completely over the line.
Both sides in the coalition have to ask themselves whether the image they are presenting to the public has any chance of being understood by people, or whether it only helps the AfD.