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German opposition mistakes Georgian palace for the Bundestag

Germany's opposition conservatives faced mockery Wednesday after confusing the German parliament and a Georgian palace in a video unveiling their new logo.

Published: 20 September 2023 16:10 CEST
The German conservative CDU's new logo.
The German conservative CDU's new logo. TPhoto: picture alliance/dpa | Kay Nietfeld

Instead of the Bundestag’s spherical dome, former chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU used an image of the more egg-shaped cupola above the Ceremonial Palace in Tbilisi, the former residence of the Georgian president.

Social media users soon spotted the slip in the glossy launch video shared by the party on Tuesday.

The conservatives acknowledged their mistake, thanking the online community for “numerous” posts pointing out the error.

“We had a lot of domes to choose from and have now picked the only right one,” the CDU said in a message on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The embarrassed mea culpa was posted alongside images of the US Capitol and a glass cake cloche for comparison with the German and Georgian domes.

The CDU’s new logo, three rising bars in the colours of the German flag, similar to a mobile phone’s signal-strength icon, is meant to evoke “renewal”.

The party also added two new shades of blue to their visual palette, named after former chancellor Konrad Adenauer’s home on the banks of the Rhine and his favourite holiday spot on Italy’s Lake Como.

The CDU has been looking to rediscover its momentum ahead of upcoming elections and refresh its sometimes stuffy image.

Despite leading in the polls nationally, the party has come under increasing pressure from the surging far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The AfD also uses light blue in their campaign materials, a colour which is generally used to show their support on electoral maps and charts.

The CDU meanwhile are shown in black — a reference to the Christian Democrats’ historic ties to the dark cloth of the clergy.

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POLITICS

German president decries ‘violence’ in politics after attacks

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Thursday he was worried by the growing trend of violence towards politicians after a series of attacks on lawmakers at work or on the campaign trail.

Published: 23 May 2024 14:29 CEST
German president decries 'violence' in politics after attacks

“We must never get used to violence in the battle of political opinions,” Steinmeier said at an event to mark the 75th anniversary of the German constitution.

The basic law, promulgated in 1949, was a response to Germany’s experience with political violence during World War II, Steinmeier said.

“No one knew better than the mothers and fathers of the constitution how violence undermines a democracy and tears down its foundations,” Steinmeier said.

READ ALSO: ‘Grundgesetz’ – what does Germany’s Basic Law really mean?

The threat of political violence had again reared its head in Germany, the president said.

“We have received news of physical attacks on elected officials and politically active people almost every day,” he said.

“I am deeply concerned about the coarsening of political life in our country.”

READ ALSO: How politically motivated crimes are rising in Germany 

Earlier this month, police arrested a man on suspicion of hitting a former mayor of Berlin in the head during a visit to a public library.

Franziska Giffey, who is now the Berlin state economy minister and a member of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD), was treated in hospital for light injuries.

Giffey’s assault came just days after a European member of parliament, also from the SPD, had to be hospitalised after four people attacked him while he was out canvassing.

READ ALSO: Why are German politicians facing increasing attacks?

Senior members of the government have also been confronted by angry mobs in recent months, with Economy Minister Robert Habeck blocked from leaving a ferry by a group of protesters.

In his speech, Steinmeier also recalled the politically motivated murder of the conservative politician Walter Luebcke by neo-Nazis in 2019.

“His death is a reminder of how hate can turn into violence,” Steinmeier said.

This week also saw proceedings open against the alleged ringleaders of a group who are said to have planned to storm the German parliament and overthrow the government.

The group of so-called Reichsbuerger, who deny the legitimacy of the modern German republic, allegedly planned to take MPs hostage and had compiled “lists of enemies” to be eliminated, according to prosecutors.

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