After the glamorous marriage of finance minister Christian Linder (FDP) to journalist Franca Lehfeldt, there was a lot of criticism. A lavish celebration in the midst of a crisis? Former BUNTE editor-in-chief Patricia Riekel thinks: There is probably never a right time.
For once, our Federal Chancellor spoke clearly and clearly for everyone. Sylt is a German place of longing, which is why he is fully behind the wedding of his coalition partner Christian Lindner (43). Olaf Scholz (64) held this defense speech in “Zanzibar”, the island’s celebrity hotspot, where the FDP finance minister celebrated with his newly wed wife Franca Lehfeldt (33) and 140 guests, some of them prominent.
Meanwhile, a fierce controversy surrounding this wedding raged in the media. Too pompous! At the wrong time! Waste at the expense of taxpayers! Insensitive! Politically unwise! These are the allegations. The private is also political! A battle cry from the 1970s. Can a finance minister celebrate so lavishly in times of crisis?
There is probably never a right time. First Corona, then war in Ukraine, galloping inflation, energy crisis! The couple, who met four years ago, had previously postponed the wedding. What was there to wait for? To better times, of which we don’t know if, when and if they will ever come again?
Sure, the two polarize: FDP chairman Christian Lindner agrees with us that we all have to save. That doesn’t make him popular. And Franca Lehfeldt is anything but a typical politician’s wife. None standing in the background. More next to if not in front of her husband. Chief reporter for politics at WELT TV, with over 100,000 Instagram followers, smart, attractive, self-confident.
Two careerists who have discovered the potential in each other that leads to success. A real power couple! And yet the successful woman Franca Lehfeldt wanted a wedding that was to be as romantic as it was unforgettable. Registry office, bachelorette party, church, wedding party. Can you blame her? Wedding is one of the most personal events in everyone’s life. Everyone should and may have their own idea of how, where and with them to celebrate. The same goes for a politician.
Sure, Sylt is an emotive word. The island of the millionaires a popular cliché. With more than six million overnight stays per year, the North Frisian island is Germany’s number one holiday paradise. Not only the rich and beautiful relax here, but also families, singles, campers, punks from all social classes.
What bothered most of the critics of the Lindner wedding: the large police force. In front of the registry office and the church, the wedding party was shielded by federal police officers. Among the guests are top politicians such as the Federal Chancellor, CDU leader Friedrich Merz (66), Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki (70) and Brandenburg’s Minister of Education Britta Ernst (61), who always have to be guarded around the clock. Does anyone get upset when a huge police presence marches up at football games? Paid not by the fans, but by us taxpayers.
The church remains as a nuisance. Franca Lehfeldt and Christian Lindner, both of whom have left the church, describe themselves as liberal freethinkers. Nevertheless, the marriage bond was blessed in the Protestant St. Severin Church in Keitum. The protestant theologian Margot Käßmann was outraged in a column that it was not about Christian content, but about a backdrop. A place of worship should not arise for this. Where is the Christian charity? Although at least one of the bride and groom should still be a member of the church at a church wedding, exceptions are permitted.
It is entirely at the discretion of the pastor, in this case Pastor Susanne Zingel, who emphasized that lovers need a place where they can feel the good. “We should not be stingy with the blessing. God is a generous God,” warns the responsible evangelical Bishop Gotthard Magaard.
The climax of every wedding is when the bride enters the church. Yes, a little girl’s dream, which a power woman like Franca Lehfeldt also dreams of. With white dress, bridal bouquet, promise forever and ever to family and friends. In St. Severin’s Church, for example, “Praise to the Lord” was sung, but the famous “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen was also played on the organ.
According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, he understands that some people resent this wedding. Unfortunately, we Germans would be quite critical, in other countries, in Italy, France and Spain, there would not have been this envy debate about the wedding. But a democracy has to endure that. He is right.
The original of this article “Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended the Lindner wedding in Zanzibar” comes from Bunte.de.
