"Muslims belong to Germany": Suddenly, Seehofer wants to build bridges

policy

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

By Judith Görs

With his controversial speech on asylum, Horst Seehofer has angered millions of German Muslims. He now proposes conciliatory tones. But doubts remain. Does the Minister of the Interior give top priority to the problems of the Islamic community?

We remember the meeting with a Muslim family on the day of opening the doors of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Horst Seehofer. "They reacted very scared on me," says the interior minister – and seems a little amused when he talks about it. "You think we do not belong," the family told him. The prosecution obviously hit hard. If not, why would he bring this anecdote a few months later? And this just before a number of representatives of the Muslim community in Germany? The man whose critical immigration program has kept Berlin in abeyance for months apparently wants to reconcile.

"Muslims are part of Germany," said Seehofer at the opening of the 4th German Conference on Islam in Berlin. What seemed natural to other politicians is suddenly news. After all, the memory of Seehofer's other comments is still recent: migration was "the mother of all problems," the head of CSU, still at war, said in September. Or the deportation of 69 Afghans to his 69th birthday, who had "not been ordained in this way" by him. The allegations of divisional speeches have at least rebounded on Bayer. Seehofer has responded impbadively to the repeated demands of resignation from almost all political camps.

Since the defeat in the state election in the Free State and its announced withdrawal from the leadership of the party CSU, the minister now proposes tones well tempered. Only a few weeks ago, he expressed gratitude for the "citizens" who "took to the streets" after the death of a 35-year-old man in Chemnitz. In his own words, he would have liked to participate. In his speech to the German Muslim community, he now condemns all those who do not want to distinguish "between the offenses of individuals and the overwhelming majority of Muslims". The problems of integration are too quickly attributed to Islam as a whole, according to Seehofer. What Germany needs is an "honest and open dialogue, based on respect and tolerance".

Correction instead of changing courses

Seehofer does not want to leave him with reprimands. Mosque communities and badociations that promote integration projects in a spirit of religious understanding, promises more money. His proposal to break the rigid conference on Islam in favor of diversity and include representatives of a liberal Islam elicits positive reactions even among Muslims. But one may wonder how serious Seehofer is with regard to the reconciliation course. "Bridge builders are people who also build real bridges," tweeted Gökay Akbulut, spokesman for the left for migration and integration. "Certainly not ministers like Seehofer, who advocate linguistic vagueness, especially anti-Muslim racism."

After all, it is the Minister of the Interior who laid the groundwork for the dialogue that should be created, Akbulut criticizes. And she is not the only one. Seehofer himself is ready for dialogue at the conference on Islam. "Everyone who knows me as a politician knows that I do not consider disputes as a burden," he explains. Nevertheless, he still does not want to embrace the arguments of his opponents that he has amply provided ammunition to the political right in Germany with his rhetoric. He still thinks that the phrase "Islam does not belong to Germany" – even if it does not rule out that it may be different one day.

Everything stays as before?

The supposed change of course is at best a slight correction. Seehofer wants to approach German Muslims – but to know if they accept his offer is another matter. At least the director of the Institute of Islamic Theology of the University of Osnabrück, Bülent Ucar, gives clear signals to the conference. Instead of talking about the words of yesterday, he wants to look ahead. For years, Ucar has been calling for a seminar on imams as part of the training of Muslim clergy in Germany. But until now, nothing of the sort has happened – despite the equal demands of politicians and representatives of badociations.

However, it is unlikely that Seehofer will hold the main Islamic badociations and institutions to account for its predecessors. On several occasions during his speech he pointed out that the state did not want to be a guardian. The discussion at the beginning of the conference shows what it really needs: greater moderation between conservative and liberal Muslims. But Seehofer would probably hardly explain this as a major concern. In his last words, he remains without commitment. "If we (…) come to the conclusion that there is an Islam of, in and for Germany, I will be able to meet with greater peace at the next open day of the year." 39, a Muslim family without these issues. "

Source: n-tv.de