Andreas Stoch apologizes for unfortunate scene after visit to food bank

Andreas Stoch, the main candidate of the SPD in the upcoming elections in Baden-Württemberg, found himself under fire after a report was published by the public broadcaster SWR. The film documenting the Social Democratic leader's campaign showed him during a visit to a Tafel facility in the town of Bühl. These facilities support people living in poverty by distributing free or very cheap food products. Immediately after leaving the help center, the camera recorded the politician's conversation with his driver, whom he instructed to purchase exquisite pâté at a French charcuterie. The politician suggested that the driver send him a photo of the store counter so he could point out specific delicacies to buy. In an interview with journalists, Stoch explained that he values the quality of products from neighboring France, and their price and standard of preparation surpass those available in Germany. The recording quickly spread across social media, where internet users accused the candidate of hypocrisy and a lack of empathy towards people receiving social assistance, whom he had met just moments earlier. Critics emphasized the huge contrast between the reality of those in need and the luxurious lifestyle of a politician using a chauffeur for gourmet shopping. Baden-Württemberg borders France, making cross-border shopping a common practice among residents of the region, but in the context of an election campaign, it takes on a political and image dimension.Responding to the growing wave of criticism, Andreas Stoch admitted at a meeting organized by the „Badische Neueste Nachrichten” that he had made an image mistake. „Ich bin da in einen Fettnapf marschiert” (I stepped into a mess) — Andreas Stoch He stated that this sequence, taken out of the context of all the work for the needy, appears irritating and unfortunate. Although the politician later explained that it was actually about liver pâté (Leberwurst), and not just about exquisite duck, the image damage became a fact just days before the elections scheduled for March 8.