Saxony-Anhalt Premier Campaigns with Controversial Artist Hallervorden, Who Sings Against Merz and Pistorius

Actor and cabaret artist Dieter Hallervorden and Sven Schulze (CDU) together on stage at the Oli Cinema in Magdeburg. Source: Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa

Saxony-Anhalt's Minister President is distancing himself from the federal CDU in the election campaign—and relying on an unusual helper. The 90-year-old Hallervorden used the platform offered to him also for accusations of genocide against Israel.

Six weeks before the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Minister President Sven Schulze (CDU) is relying on unusual campaign help. Together with the controversial cabaret artist Dieter Hallervorden, he is touring through Halle, Magdeburg, Dessau, and Naumburg under the motto "Art needs freedom."

The goal of the event series is to present the CDU as a guarantor of free art, freedom of speech, and social cohesion—and to reduce the lead of the AfD, which currently stands at 41 percent according to polls.

The obvious tactic of Minister President Schulze: to clearly distance the CDU of Saxony-Anhalt from the federal CDU. The discussions surrounding the personnel reshuffle in Berlin have affected his election campaign, Schulze said on a boat tour with journalists.

Hallervorden Criticizes CDU and SPD on Stage

Schulze's prominent campaign helper therefore criticizes not only the AfD during the joint events, but also the CDU and SPD. In a song, Hallervorden addressed Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) directly on the CDU stage at the sold-out OLi Cinema in Magdeburg.

• "If you think war is worth it, then fight where no one lives. Fight on the moon, for goodness' sake!" the 90-year-old sang, among other things.
• The cabaret artist also explained directly to the audience: "If this were at the federal level, I wouldn't be advertising for Friedrich Merz, it's different here with Sven."

As can be seen in videos, during the singing interlude, Federal Chancellor Merz, Defense Minister Pistorius, and tanks from Rheinmetall were shown on the large screen behind Hallervorden, interspersed with explosions and falling bombs.

"Hello, Mr. Minister of War. You asked my son to kill for you in war. Do you march along yourself?" Hallervorden asked in the song. While destroyed cities were shown behind him, it continued: "What use are battle machines, destruction and ruins? Only to those who profit from battles, noise, and death. In the end, it's about money, that's the biggest driver, it's never about life, unfortunately."

Criticism of Federal Government's Gaza Position

Then Hallervorden used the CDU stage offered to him by Schulze to criticize the federal government's position in the Gaza war: "And if I call you perpetrators, I'm quickly seen as a traitor. And sooner or later you become the enemy." While he sang this, a video of a pro-Palestinian demonstration was shown, among other things, on which the slogan "Stop the genocide in Gaza" could be read.

Hallervorden has already attracted attention in the past with sharp criticism of Israel, whereby the cabaret artist also used Hamas propaganda. In connection with Israel's policy, he also repeatedly spoke of apartheid and genocide.

Quiet Applause After the Song

When Hallervorden finished his song, sporadic applause could be heard from the audience. Schulze had apparently given the cabaret artist his consent in advance for the clear criticism of the federal government and his own party, as he told "Focus online." "Of course we don't agree on every topic. Dieter Hallervorden said: 'I want to support you gladly.'"