Manipulation on ZDF? Merz talks about AfD – lawyer speaks of false allegations!

Manipulation on ZDF? Merz talks about AfD – lawyer speaks of false allegations!

In the last few days, alarming developments have unfolded around the Union candidate for chancellor Friedrich Merz and the reporting about him. Researchers from the civil rights organization Civil Society Forum and the Robert Bosch Foundation found that over 2.5 million posts discrediting Merz were spread on social media. A central accusation is that Merz suffers from a mental illness and that this should be kept secret. These confusing rumors have increased particularly sharply this week, which indicates the favorable situation for the right-wing populist AfD, as experts analyze. Such maneuvers could reduce voter turnout and make it more difficult to form stable coalitions, which would have a serious impact on Germany's political landscape vienna.at reported.

ZDF is also accused of being manipulative in its reporting on Merz. The broadcaster is said to have edited a speech by Merz in such a way that a false impression was created about his proximity to the AfD. Merz had emotionally stated that the AfD should be made “a marginal phenomenon”. A lawyer criticized that the reporting suggested that his own party did not trust Merz, which was not only journalistically dubious but could also have legal consequences. The allegations were rejected by ZDF, which pointed out that the criticized cheering scenes were simply taken out of context. Nevertheless, the question of journalistic integrity and the treatment of political figures in the media remains berliner-zeitung.de clarified.