Kretschmer accuses Greens of ideological blinkers

The seven leading candidates for the Saxon state elections met for the first time in a debate. Michael Kretschmer (CDU), Jörg Urban (AfD), Susanne Schaper (Linke), Katja Meier (Grüne), Petra Köpping (SPD), Sabine Zimmermann (BSW) and Robert Malorny (FDP) spent the evening discussing the energy transition, the war in Ukraine, education and security. The event in Dresden was organized by "Sächsische Zeitung", "Freie Presse" and "Leipziger Volkszeitung".

Kretschmer: Energy transition a failure

The discussion became heated on the first topic - the energy transition. Minister President Kretschmer accused the Green coalition partner of "ideological blinkers". "With the Greens, it's not about what is sensible, what is economically right. It's all about the party program," he said.

The energy transition as it is currently being pursued has failed and needs to be redesigned. "We will manage that too, but we have to remove all ideological blinkers." We also need to talk about nuclear power and domestic gas.

Meier: "Brake blocks from the CDU"

Katja Meier, Minister of Justice and top candidate for the Greens, disagreed with Kretschmer. The energy transition had not failed. However, the CDU and SPD had only planned to phase out nuclear power and coal, not to introduce renewable energies. However, this is exactly what the Greens had done in the federal government and in Saxony. The expansion of wind power would have been faster without "the brake pads from the CDU".

Meier also clashed with AfD lead candidate Jörg Urban on the topic. The further expansion of renewable energies was leading to electricity becoming more and more expensive, said Urban. The energy transition was dependent on subsidies and the money for this was a burden on the economy. Meier strongly disagreed with this statement. "If anything has been highly subsidized here for decades, then it is nuclear power," she said.

War in Ukraine: Kretschmer advocates diplomacy

The differences also became clear when it came to dealing with the war in Ukraine. Kretschmer wants to end it with diplomacy. "It is so crucial that the weapons are finally silenced."

AfD member Urban accused the West of lacking interest in peace negotiations with Russia, which had been prevented by support for Ukrainian President Zelensky. BSV chairwoman Zimmermann called for an end to the war rhetoric. Negotiations were the most important thing that could be done. "Peace is only possible with Russia."

Left Party top candidate Schaper also wants to advocate diplomatic solutions. Further arms deliveries would not bring peace.

Köpping: "It takes two"

Everyone wants peace in Ukraine, noted Green politician Meier. Peace efforts are urgently needed, but: "The one who doesn't want to come to the negotiating table is Vladimir Putin," said Meier. Social Democrat Köpping takes a similar view: "Of course there must be negotiations, but it takes two."

Malorny from the FDP objected: "The decision on negotiations is made by Ukraine and Russia, no one else." He added that Germany was not involved in the negotiations, but had to ask itself whether it wanted to watch Ukraine disappear from the map.