\u201cI played tennis from 1 to 2 p.m. because I wanted to clear my head. I was reachable the whole time \u2026 my phone was on loud. I went straight back afterward and continued working,\u201d he told Welt.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, however, Wegner had offered journalists a different story<\/a> when confronted as to his whereabouts the previous day. \u201cI was at home. I literally locked myself in my home office and coordinated things from there,\u201d he maintained.<\/p>\n Wegner, whose conservative CDU party governs Berlin in coalition with the Social Democrats, is facing criticism from opposition parties across the political spectrum.<\/p>\n Tobias Schulze, leader of the far-left\u00a0Die Linke\u00a0faction in Berlin\u2019s state parliament, told POLITICO: \u201cThe fact that Kai Wegner chose to go play tennis instead of traveling to the crisis area shows a lack of responsibility and a lack of empathy. Mr. Wegner must ask himself whether he has lived up to the responsibility of his office.\u201d<\/p>\n The\u00a0far-right AfD\u00a0also savaged the mayor.\u00a0Kristin Brinker, leader of the party\u2019s Berlin parliamentary group, said<\/a> \u201cAnyone who prefers leisure time in moments of crisis is in the wrong place. Mr. Wegner, you\u2019ve lost this match. Take your hat.\u201d<\/p>\n