Overview

• In a Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung interview at the IAA in Munich, Markus Söder said, “Without cars, mechanical engineering and chemistry, Germany is a lady without a lower body.”
• Opposition figures including Nicole Gohlke, Franziska Brantner and Timon Dzienus condemned the phrasing as sexist and demeaning to women.
• Söder has not apologized or retracted the remark, instead spotlighting the auto sector and citing a meeting with Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to emphasize Bavarian‑U.S. industry ties.
• The comment was part of his case that Germany’s automotive, mechanical engineering and chemical industries are foundational to economic strength.
• Coverage also referenced his #söderisst social‑media persona, and some outlets noted the phrase’s 19th‑century fairground origins, while no formal repercussions have been reported.