The leading candidate to replace German Chancellor Angela Merkel apologized for "inappropriate" behavior Saturday, after a photo showed him laughing during a visit to address devastating floods that have left at least 180 people dead in Western Europe.
Armin Laschet, the new leader of Merkel's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and governor of one of the hardest-hit flood regions, was seen visiting the town of Erfstadt on Saturday with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
While Steinmeier gave a statement to reporters to address the flooding, photos showed Laschet turning to someone else and laughing.
The images sparked criticism from other German politicians, including Lars Klingbeil, the general secretary of the center-left Social Democrats, who called the incident "lacking in decency and appalling."
"They say that people's character shows in times of crisis," Klingbeil said during an interview with German media, according to the Associated Press.
Later on Saturday evening, Laschet took to Twitter to apologize for the photos, noting that the impression it gave was inappropriate.
"I thank the Federal President for his visit. The fate of those affected is close to our hearts, and we have heard about it in many conversations. All the more I regret the impression that was created through a conversation. That was inappropriate and I am sorry," he wrote.
Ich danke dem Bundespräsidenten für seinen Besuch. Uns liegt das Schicksal der Betroffenen am Herzen, von dem wir in vielen Gesprächen gehört haben. Umso mehr bedauere ich den Eindruck, der durch eine Gesprächssituation entstanden ist. Dies war unpassend und es tut mir leid.
— Armin Laschet (@ArminLaschet) July 17, 2021
Erfstadt and several other areas across Western Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria have been hit with record-breaking rainfall and flash flooding that have left over one hundred people dead and thousands more missing.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state where Laschet is the governor, officials said Sunday that at least 46 people and four firefighters have so far been confirmed dead. The western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate has also been devastated by the flooding, with a death toll of at least 110, the AP reported.
More than 20 people have also died in Belgium.
The flash floods have swept away cars and caused houses to collapse across the region. On Thursday, Merkel expressed fear that "the full extent of this tragedy will only be seen in the coming days," as search and rescue efforts continue across the country's western regions.
The veteran German leader arrived in Schuld on Sunday, a village located on the Ahr river that was impacted by the flooding, to see the damage herself.
Merkel will end her 16 years of German leadership in September, with Laschet currently leading the polls ahead of the environmentalist Greens, with the Social Democrats in third place. The country's election will take place September 26.
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