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German State Minister Philipp Amthor sparks controversy over beach chair on Chancellery balcony
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A beach chair on the balcony of the German Chancellery has sparked debate after CDU politician Philipp Amthor was shown in a ZDF documentary having the furniture delivered to his office. In the documentary 'Inside CDU', the 33-year-old State Minister for Federal-State Relations is seen directing the placement of the beach chair, saying it looks 'super' and that he could turn it toward the 'Chancellor's garden' for relaxation. The scene triggered widespread reactions on social media, with some users accusing Amthor of arrogance and one commenter labeling it 'late Roman decadence in the final stage.' Others found the situation humorous, with one Instagram user saying they 'envy him the beach chair.' The post by ZDF heute on Instagram received over 1,600 comments by Sunday evening. Amthor, who entered the Bundestag at age 24 in 2017 and previously served as Digital State Secretary, hails from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where beach chairs are common along the Baltic Sea coast.
Source report
A beach chair placed on the balcony of the German Chancellery has sparked controversy. In a ZDF documentary, CDU politician Philipp Amthor is shown having the piece of furniture delivered to his office. Reactions online range from mockery and criticism to amused commentary.
The Incident
In a recent episode of the second season of the ZDF documentary series "Inside CDU," the 33-year-old politician is seen arranging for a beach chair (Strandkorb) to be brought onto the balcony outside his office.
"Yes, that looks great," Amthor says as the item is wheeled outside by a delivery worker. He then discusses how it should be positioned. "In the unlikely event that I ever use it to relax, I can always turn it toward the Chancellery garden," he adds.
Background on Amthor
Philipp Amthor was already regarded as both a political talent and a polarizing figure before his move to the Chancellery. At just 24 years old, he was first elected to the Bundestag in 2017. Until recently, he served as Digital State Secretary, and for the past two months, he has held the position of Minister of State for Federal-State Relations in the Chancellery. He hails from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where beach chairs line the shores of the Baltic Sea coast.
Social Media Reactions
The scene in the Chancellery triggered a wave of responses on social media, as first reported by Bild. Several Instagram users commented that they initially thought the footage was satire or AI-generated content. Others accused Amthor of arrogance, with one user even describing the scene as "late Roman decadence in its final stage."
However, some users took the situation with humor. "Oh, somehow the beach chair thing is funny. I begrudge him the beach chair," one user wrote under a post.
Regardless of the tone, the scene has proven divisive. A single Instagram post by ZDF heute about Amthor in "Inside CDU" had received more than 1,600 comments by Sunday evening.
Sources: dpa/nw
Source
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Part of this Story
German Minister Amthor Removes Beach Chair from Chancellery Balcony After Online Backlash