Foreign policy

Seehofer in Moscow: Not in Merkel’s job!

The Foreign Nebenpolitik the CSU is legendary. Now flying Horst Seehofer in Moscow. A spicy and controversial Visit of the Bavaria in times of heavy German-Russian turmoil.

Rarely before was it so bad to the relations between Berlin and Moscow. Even the cautious Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Merkel’s man for the Außenressort, there is currently nothing in the Russian capital. And in the midst of this political ice age, now wants to CSU chief Horst Seehofer on Thursday, President Vladimir Putin’s honor. Ironically, he, Merkel’s fierce critics in the refugee policy. A man, the like polarized. The wrong man at the wrong time in the wrong place?

“How can we today, the world of light?”, he asked again and again to his advisers, when the Republic a few days little or nothing about Bavaria, about the CSU and hear the had. Since the refugees of hundreds of thousands over Bavaria come to Germany, he needs to ensure sufficient Publicity not to fear. Seehofer is Merkel’s most dangerous critic, he bombarded the Chancellor for months with ultimatums. The refugee policy of the German Chancellor he does not consider in Detail, but basically wrong. Seehofer might as Bavarian Prime Minister Putin are flying to Moscow but will he as a representative of one of Berlin’s three governing parties to be received.

Moscow-Visite in times of Russian Propaganda

Seehofers Moscow visit coincides temporally precisely with an Offensive of the Kremlin, together, influence on public opinion in Germany. Putin’s in-depth Interview, that he is the “image”newspaper Recently granted, like a conventional means of Russia-PR in Germany have been. But the claim of Lisa, a 13-year-old russlanddeutsches girl, of Arab refugees in Berlin have been raped, carried for days, trains a smear campaign against Germany. Striking was the sharp tone of the Russian foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, compared with the German justice.

Horst Seehofer, CSU party leader, Bavarian Prime Minister and Koalitionär in Berlin

Russia is pursuing with right-wing networks – in particular with the AfD and Pegida – a policy, the CDU-Außenpolitiker Roderich Kiesewetter, the record ready status for refugees in Germany are endangered. Also parts of the Russian-Germans were carefully addressed. Kiesewetter holds Moscow smooth Informationsverfälschung. In Germany, he called the Russian Syrian commitment to a “hybrid warfare”, the flight of the people towards Europe will only accelerate. Against this Background, it is Seehofers Moscow trip at this time is a mistake.

Already at the beginning of the Syria crisis has had the CSU for a closer cooperation with Russia pleads. Without Putin the Situation in Syria is not in get a handle on, says Seehofer in September. Be Russia-understanding and its position within the Berlin coalition against Merkel’s Flüchtlingskurs come Putin is just right: He wanted to Zweitracht sowing in Germany and in the EU, is the Unionspolitiker Kiesewetter sure.

Putin and Seehofers goal? The end of the Russia-sanctions!

In addition, the strong man in Moscow, and Bayer share a common interest: The end of EU economic sanctions against Russia. Brussels had after the Crimean annexation of parts of the trade with Russia is put on ice. The sanctions were extended several times. Moscow had with a Gegenembargo for a large part of the agricultural products from the EU is responding. Also Bavaria’s farmers were the victims. Seehofer sees itself as representing the interests of the domestic economy, whose message is clear. SME, industry and trade want as quickly as possible back into the business.

Not without ulterior motives: Vladimir Putin in the image-talking in Sochi on 11. January.

France had only a few days ago is an important Signal sent. The aim was, as the French economy Minister Emmanuel Macron during a visit to Moscow, “in the coming summer, the penalties cancel out.” Of course, if Moscow of the obligations of the Minsk agreement fulfill. But the political solidarity of the EU towards Moscow begins because of the economic interests of Individual soften. That plays into Putin’s hands. The question is, how Seehofer his visit is accentuated, as the German Außenpolitiker and indirect member of the Berlin coalition government, or as business leaders of his state.

Bavarian foreign policy – a new discovery

The CSU and its foreign policy have always been something Special. The CSU-grandee Franz-Josef Strauss and Edmund Stoiber were in the domestic arena for Krawallmacherei in Berlin well – even to the Bonn time. Is legendary, especially the “foreign policy according to its own standards” by Franz-Josef Strauß. In 1983, it enabled the ailing East German leadership a Milliardenkredit, what it part of fierce criticism from his CSU earned. Also regular contacts with the Apartheid state of South Africa, in particular, to President Pieter Willem Botha, or to Paraguay’s dictator Alfredo Stroessner to stand for an almost demonstratively own foreign policy of the free state.

No wonder that Horst Seehofer in this Tradition looks and are already in 2014 for his up to then 32 trips abroad (to Australia, he was on every continent) boasted. Here, he primarily concentrated on the promotion of the economic interests of its domestic entrepreneurs. But the flow of refugees has the Bavarian ambitions in the foreign policy of a new supporting argument .. Since the arriving refugees over Bavaria German soil entering, Bavarian domestic policy at the same time, Federal and foreign relevant. This is new.

Currently the question remains, what exactly Seehofer, with Merkel before the departure to the language rules. In Russia, Western politicians in unison bad reputation. Merkel is an exception. Your mind, your hardness, your iron nerves to be respected. More yet: you shall be respected. Whether Seehofer, the feeling people, the Vereinnahmungsversuchen Putin’s has grown, will ultimately decide whether the visit to the footnote of the story is – or the fragile Berlin coalition are additionally affected.