this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2025
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61
Germany: MERA25 parliamentary candidate dismissed for expressing solidarity with Palestine (www.wsws.org)
submitted 1 week ago by IndustryStandard@lemmy.world to c/europe@feddit.org
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Schweizer was a civil service lawyer and worked as a consultant in the Ministry of Labour. In this year’s federal election, she ran on the Berlin state list for MERA25 and as a direct candidate in Berlin Mitte. The hate campaign that led to Schweizer’s dismissal was triggered by a December 6 post on X in which she accused the Zionist Malca Goldstein-Wolf of waging a “defamation campaign” because she had called the renowned journalist Georg Restle an antisemite for his criticism of Netanyahu’s war.

Goldstein-Wolf apparently researched Schweizer’s occupation and, when she found out that she worked for the Ministry of Labour, made this known on X and initiated a smear campaign against her. Hundreds of Zionist trolls then spread the most vicious slanders against Schweizer and demanded that she be fired.

The media also immediately joined in the smear campaign. On December 11, the tabloid Bild ran with the headline “Heil shocked! Employee spreads vile hatred of Israel” and went so far as to accuse Schweizer of trivialising the Holocaust.

Schweizer was then invited to a staff meeting, then suspended in January and finally dismissed without notice from her job and stripped of her civil servant status in February. At the same time, in the final days of the federal election campaign, her LinkedIn account was blocked without explanation.

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[–] Mem@discuss.tchncs.de 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

TL;DR This is a fringe opinion piece with a pretty far-fetched conclusion. She can take this to court; German courts usually make nuanced decisions and defend free speech. The discussion around this is necessary, but this article leaves no/ little place for differing opinions.

While her dismissal should receive more attention, I don't think the wsws is a particularly good source. The article is extremely one-sided and doesn't question Schweizers own statements at all. Furthermore, there seems to be no actual reporting/ journalism involved in this, its content is purely made up of previously published media (e.g. twitter and BILD). I think this is just an opinion piece and should be treated as such.

I think the author had a clear message in mind before writing this, as the text goes on to bundle this case with a few other unrelated high-visibility cases that have different circumstances to question the freedom of speech in Germany. While there is a discussion to be had, the article offers no foundation to support the broad picture it paints.

Do not forget that Melanie Schweizer can take this to court and German courts don't tend to fuck around willy-nilly when it comes to freedom of speech. The German state/ public is capable of nuance, don't let this fringe opinion piece tell you otherwise.

[–] Saleh@feddit.org 13 points 1 week ago

Meanwhile the federal comissioner for combating antisemitism hailed Trumps plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza, and faces no repercussions.

See

https://www.nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1189615.antisemitismus-beauftragter-der-fall-felix-klein-schroedingers-bundesbeauftragter.html

For an article contrasting the different treatment. In Germany calling for ethnic cleansing is apperently acceptable for government officials...

[–] superkret@feddit.org 14 points 1 week ago (2 children)

To anyone only reading headlines and comments: She wasn't dismissed from parliament for expressing her opinion.
That would be completely undemocratic and is impossible in Germany.
She was dismissed as an employee of the state, where she was bound by oath to stay politically neutral in public.
She never won a seat in the election.

[–] jmcs@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 1 week ago

So a public employee that repeated Likud's "between the sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty" would also be fired?

Besides, public employees need to be neutral while they are working, they must have all their democratic rights in their private life. Otherwise you need to start firing people for going to the church/mosque/synagogue/whatever they call their religious grounds.

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world -1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

To anyone only reading comments; consider listening to the explanation of the suspended person. https://youtu.be/ETnMLb_ql1g

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The people who downvoted the above comment: "NO I DON'T WANT TO KNOW", or some shit.

[–] Genosse@feddit.org 11 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Also to put this into perspective. Federal workers (bo matter where they are employed) are legally required to remain neutral. This goes even thus far, that you can face consequences for going on protests. However, the thing she said is not just her position, but also the position of her Party Mera25. There is also a law providing protection for federal workers who are part of a political party. In theory she shouldn't get fired for expressing the standpoint of her Party.

At the same time our commissar of Antisemitism openly said, in an Interview he attended as said role, not as a private person, that he likes Trumps plans of ethnically cleansing the Gaza strip. In a press conference his actions were defended by stating, that he does not have to reflect the views of the government, even tho his role is part of the government, and the he is not obligated to follow orders if the government.

Yes I know, Germany devinetively has a problem with not being to critical about Israel committing genocide in Gaza.

[–] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Federal workers legally required to remain neutral

Government employees have to act neutrally when fulfilling their job duties. But as a private person, in their free time, they are free to protest. They only must not work against the 'liberal democratic basic order' (FDGO) when they are regular employees or they must act in favour of the FDGO when they are civil servants (Beamte), respectively, as the latter have sworn by oath to do so.
While the existence (and security) of the state Israel has been declared national interest (Staatsräson) by our chancellors Merkel and Scholz, by itself it does not touch the FDGO. The only aspect I can think of in that regard, that would be against the FDGO, is the endorsement of terrorism.

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Thanks for this clarification which a lot of people appear to leave out.

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 week ago

The persecution of DIEM25 by German authorities is becoming pretty systematic at this point. All for legitimate Palestine solidarity work. There is a pattern here.

[–] gigachad@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

The actions taken by the federal and state authorities are a clear warning signal. Against the background of the greatest militarisation and rearmament offensive in Germany since Hitler, which is currently being prepared by the ruling class, any form of opposition to capitalism, fascism and war is to be suppressed.

Sorry, but can we please leave these shitposts at lemmy.ml?