(14 Nov 2003)
1. Wide of Reichstag ( parliament building)
2. Close up Reichstag
3. Close up of sign CDU/CSU
4. Delegates arriving
5. Media
6. Expelled lawmaker Martin Hohmann arriving
7. Media
8. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, head of CDU:
"Ladies and gentleman, you know the outcome of the vote. Our former colleague, Martin Hohmann has been expelled from the CDU/CSU group in parliament. The result of the vote is clear, but it also shows that many of our colleagues have had difficulties from a human point of view to take this decision. Nevertheless, I think that from a political point of view this was the only good decision. It has been a hard day, and hard days lay behind us. We had to take this political step."
9. Media
10. German newspaper
11. SOUNDBITE (German) Vox Pop:
"No, we think the decision to expel him was wrong. He should have resigned."
12. German newspaper
13. SOUNDBITE (German) Vox Pop:
"After all he is an elected member of parliament. He has been elected by people who like and respect him. The decision today was an important step, but whether it was good, I doubt it."
14. Various of Reichstag
STORYLINE:
Germany's conservative opposition party expelled a lawmaker accused of anti-Semitic remarks from its group in the national parliament on Friday, a rare punishment reflecting the sensitivity 60 years after the Holocaust.
Christian Democratic lawmakers voted 195-28 to expel Martin Hohmann out of the caucus, exceeding the required two-thirds majority, party officials said.
Sixteen members abstained and four cast invalid ballots.
Party chairwoman Angela Merkel told reporters the result was unambiguous, though it showed many colleagues struggled on a personal level.
Merkel said that politically it was the right thing to do.
Hohmann was widely accused of anti-Semitic stereotyping for an October 3 speech marking German Unity Day in which he compared Jews and Nazis, citing an allegedly prominent role of Jews in Russia's 1917 Communist revolution.
The scandal grew when Germany's special forces commander, Brig. Gen. Reinhard Guenzel, was fired last week for writing a letter to Hohmann praising his "courage" for making the speech.
The party acted after Hohmann, 55, publicly apologised but defied party demands to retract his remarks.
The Christian Democrats have begun moves to expel Hohmann from the party entirely.
After Friday's ballot by the party's lawmakers, he can remain in the lower house of the parliament as an independent.
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Негізгі бет Conservative lawmakers expel member over anti semite remarks
Пікірлер: 1