New competence center against right-wing extremism

"There must be no room in this country, in this society for right-wing extremism", said federal interior minister hans-peter friedrich (CSU) after a meeting with churches, associations and initiatives against the right in berlin. Family minister kristina schroder (CDU) announced a new, nationwide information and competence center to bundle knowledge about right-wing extremism. Hopes for more money for initiatives had already been dampened.

Friedrich and schroder had initiated the meeting together to set a sign against right-wing extremism. "Only if we all work together to actively promote our democracy and tolerance can we banish right-wing extremism from our society," said friedrich. The federal and state governments have an obligation to provide municipalities with all the help, support and encouragement they can in the fight against right-wing extremism. At the end of november, it became known that right-wing terrorists had been able to murder ten people without investigators having the perpetrators in their sights.

The chairman of the central council of jews, dieter graumann, deplored the lack of progress in solving the series of murders. "The authorities are still in continued hibernation when it comes to clearing up these terrible acts," he told the "ruhr nachrichten" (tuesday). But tuesday’s meeting had to be followed by action, he warned. Bundestag to vote this thursday on investigative committee. On tuesday, all parliamentary groups agreed to support the committee. The vote on thursday could therefore only be a formality. The committee of inquiry is to investigate the work of the federal office for the protection of the constitution and the police and clarify possible failures.

Minister schroder explained that the aim was to strengthen people around young people who were threatening to slide into right-wing extremism. There is competence in the fight against the right. But when successful projects come to an end, there is the problem that the accumulated knowledge is lost. A competence center is now to change that.

Anetta kahane of the amadeu antonio foundation criticized that it is much more important to strengthen and support civil society involvement than the competence center that has been announced. "Another federal institution cannot replace the successful work of the numerous civil society initiatives," she said. There is a lack of money. In addition, the conditions for the integration of immigrants and the protection against discrimination had to be improved."

Programs against right-wing extremism converge in the federal family ministry. A total of 24 million euros is available annually from the schroder ministry. When asked whether the amount would be increased, the minister had already stated in the "frankfurter allgemeine zeitung": "unfortunately, there is no guarantee that more money will help more. We must make smart and sustainable projects."

Schroder’s extremism clause also draws criticism from initiatives. In order to receive state funding, initiatives must declare that they have no extremist aspirations. Some initiatives feel that this is an imposition. Schroder and friedrich defended the clause on tuesday.