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Markus Lanz Probes AfD 'Firewall' and Merz 'Cityscape' Remark Over Two Nights

Two consecutive ZDF shows convened politicians and mayors to test positions on party limits versus urban integration.

Overview

  • On October 28, the program examined Saxony’s CDU/SPD minority government, its reliance on opposition votes, and how mainstream parties should handle the AfD.
  • Former CDU general secretary Peter Tauber used the show to address his controversial call to relax the so‑called Brandmauer to the AfD.
  • On October 29, the focus shifted to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s disputed “cityscape” remark, with Kanzleramtschef Thorsten Frei, journalist Karina Mößbauer, and the mayors of Ludwigshafen, Tübingen, and Hannover.
  • Reactions ranged from Jutta Steinruck’s claim the comment stigmatized much of Ludwigshafen to Boris Palmer’s support for a frank discussion, while Belit Onay urged an “integration turbo.”
  • Both editions aired on ZDF and are available in the ZDF‑Mediathek for streaming, with the discussions continuing in national and local political circles.