• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
German Chancellor Accused Of Comparing Climate Activists To Nazis

Home> News

Published 02:25 1 Jun 2022 GMT+1

German Chancellor Accused Of Comparing Climate Activists To Nazis

Government officials have slammed the accusation against the German leader, calling the claims 'absurd'.

Rachel Lang

Rachel Lang

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has found himself the target of furious backlash after he appeared to compare climate protesters to Nazis.

According to German media outlet Stuttgarter Nachrichten, the Chancellor was speaking at a Catholic Day event in Stuttgart when a climate activist tried to storm the stage.

At the time, Scholz was talking about how phasing out coal-fired power plants would result in job losses.

Advert

It was after the climate change protester tried to storm the stage that Scholz made his comments that have since been interpreted as a Nazi reference.

"I’ll be honest: These black-clad displays at various events by the same people over and over again remind me of a time that is, thank God, long gone by," he said in a now-viral social media video.

"I have also been to events where five people sat dressed in the same way, each had a well-rehearsed stance, and then they do it again every time."

He then went on to claim that the actions by climate activists are an attempt to 'manipulate' the narrative surrounding the issue.

"And that’s why I think that is not a discussion, that is not participation in a discussion, but an attempt to manipulate events for one’s own purposes. One should not do this."

Advert

The one-minute clip that triggered backlash against Scholz was shared by climate activist Luisa Neubauer.

Neubauer drew the comparison between the German Chancellor's words and the Nazi regime.

"Where does one begin? In just one half-sentence, the chancellor of the federal republic relativises the Nazi regime and, in a paradoxical way, also the climate crisis,” she wrote on Twitter.

"He stylises climate protection as an ideology with parallels to the Nazi regime. In 2022. Jesus.

"This is such a scandal."

Advert

Scholz won the German election by campaigning for action on climate change.

Government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann has refused to even discuss Neubauer's claims, branding her accusation as 'absurd'.

"I would not want to comment on [the statements] here. But I can say that such a comparison is, of course, completely absurd," Hoffmann said, as per The Telegraph.

"The chancellor has made climate protection a priority of this legislative period of his chancellorship and he is, of course, always ready to deal with this topic and to discuss it."

Advert

Scholz's government plans to phase out coal by 2030, eight years earlier than Angela Merkel's 2038 target, according to Reuters.

In March, his government also brought forward its deadline for a full transition to renewable energy by 2035, five years earlier than Merkel's target.

Featured Image Credit: mediaguys.de / Alamy Stock Photo. Hero Images Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo.

Topics: Environment, News, Politics

Rachel Lang
Rachel Lang

Rachel Lang is a Digital Journalist at LADbible. During her career, she has interviewed Aussie PM Malcolm Turnbull in the lead up to the 2016 federal election, ran an editorial campaign on the war in Yemen, and reported on homelessness in the lead-up to Harry and Meghan’s wedding in Windsor. She also once wrote a yarn on the cheese and wine version of Fyre Festival.

X

@rlangjournalist

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

an hour ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
4 hours ago
  • an hour ago

    Psychologist explains why Donald Trump does 'trademark move' after world leader 'outplays' him at it

    An expert has analysed Donald Trump's 'physical' move that he pulls when meeting fellow world leaders

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Mum claims 'dirty' lodge hot tub caused her to erupt in 'gruesome' rash leaving her housebound for two weeks

    Francesca Newton said a rash started about 24 hours after she'd been in the hot tub

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Biggest male great white shark ever recorded in Atlantic Ocean on move to popular US holiday destination

    Anyone feel like humming the theme from Jaws?

    News
  • 4 hours ago

    Family of British man who survived Air India crash breaks silence

    His relatives say the survivor of the crash has 'no idea' how he survived

    News
  • Woman suffered one of the most ‘terrifying’ deaths ever after one drop of liquid hit her hand
  • Terrifying way you will know if a dust storm is heading your way as one the size of 48 US states is set to hit this week
  • Man left completely stunned as hammerhead shark falls out of the sky in real life 'sharknado'
  • People can't get over what explorer said when reaching bottom of the ocean in 'scariest thing imaginable'