The Daily Telegraph

Merkel claims flag back from far-right

- By Justin Huggler

ANGELA MERKEL has begun her campaign for a historic fourth term as German chancellor under the colours of the national flag in an attempt to wrest it back from the far-right.

With three months to go until September’s elections, Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) this week unveiled a series of campaign posters featuring the chancellor against a backdrop of black, red and gold.

It is unusual for political parties to use the flag so overtly in a country still haunted by its Nazi past, and Mrs Merkel has chided party colleagues for waving the flag in previous elections.

The CDU said the decision to use the flag had been a deliberate move to reclaim it from far-right parties which have been gaining popularity on an anti-immigrant message.

The campaign “will be a bit more patriotic than before”, Peter Tauber, the party’s general secretary, told the Financial Times.

“Because we are in times where Right-wing populists are stronger and we don’t want to leave patriotism to these people.”

The campaign’s slogan, which is emblazoned across the posters featuring Mrs Merkel, is: “For a Germany in which we live well and happily”.

Another slogan unveiled by the party this week was more pointed: “Strengthen­ing Europe means strengthen­ing Germany.”

Mrs Merkel gave her own version of national identity in a guest piece for Bild newspaper, in which she listed her A-Z of what it means to be German.

Her list included German sausage, punctualit­y, “made in Germany” and the Luther Bible.

But in a clear swipe at critics of her refugee policy, she also included Muslims and people of an immigrant background. She also cited Article 1 of the German constituti­on: “Human dignity is inviolable.”

The far-right Alternativ­e for Germany party (AFD) inflicted damaging losses on Mrs Merkel in regional elections last year, campaignin­g on an antimigran­t platform.

However, Mrs Merkel appears to be on course for victory in September, with the CDU on 40 per cent, with a commanding lead of 16 points over the Social Democrats, led by Martin Schulz.

 ??  ?? Angela Merkel is campaignin­g for a fourth term using the colours of the German flag
Angela Merkel is campaignin­g for a fourth term using the colours of the German flag

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