Steinmeier warns of growing threats to German democracy

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said there must be no political cooperation with extremists, either in government or in parliament. (Bernama pic)

BERLIN: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned on Sunday that the rise of the far right and increasing antisemitism posed a growing threat to Germany’s democracy.

“One hundred and seven years after 1918, the year the first German Republic was proclaimed, our liberal democracy is under pressure,” he said at his official Berlin residence Bellevue Palace.

“Populists and extremists are mocking our institutions, poisoning public debate, and exploiting fear,” he added.

Nov 9 is a highly symbolic date for Germany — in 1918 the proclamation of the Republic was made on this day, in 1938 pogroms erupted against Jews, and in 1989 the Berlin Wall fell.

Steinmeier referenced the recent rise of the far right in the shape of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD), which scored a 20.5% vote share in last February’s general election to place second, forcing first-placed Christian Democrats (CDU) to enter a coalition with the beaten Social Democrats.

New Chancellor Friedrich Merz has hardened his own rhetoric on immigration since taking office but current opinion polls see the AfD as level-pegging with his party.

For Steinmeier, “there must be no political cooperation with extremists. Neither in government nor in parliament”.

“Antisemitism is not back, because it has always existed,” he said, alluding to a record 6,236 recorded antisemitic crimes in Germany last year.

“Is it possible that we have not learned the lessons of history?” he said