Left Party politician files criminal complaint against German Interior Minister over antisemitism remark
Quick Look
- Berlin Left Party politician Elif Eralp filed a criminal complaint against Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt after he appeared to endorse a TV host's slip calling her an 'antisemite' during a talkshow.
- Eralp denies the accusation and has condemned antisemitism, while Dobrindt previously accused the Left Party of tolerating extremists.
- The complaint alleges defamation and insult.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Berlin state elections were held on September 20, where the Left Party won, positioning Elif Eralp as a potential mayor. Dobrindt had previously accused the Left Party of tolerating antisemites and extremists. Eralp has consistently denied antisemitism allegations and affirmed Israel's right to exist.
Left Party politician Elif Eralp, who could become Berlin's next mayor after an election win last week, has filed a criminal complaint against conservative Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt over a remark referring to her as an "antisemite."
Lawyer Jasper Prigge told the DPA news agency the complaint by Eralp and the Berlin branch of the Left Party argues that Dobrindt endorsed a statement describing Eralp as an "antisemite" in what amounted to a criminal act of defamation and insult.
The incident occurred in a talkshow on German television on Thursday.
The moderator of the show, Maybrit Illner, said, "Elif Eralp says she is an antisemite," quickly correcting her slip-up to "... [that] she is not an antisemite."
Dobrindt then said: "Oh, yes, she is."
Dobrindt had said on an earlier occasion that the Berlin branch of the Left Party was "quite obviously tolerating antisemites and extremists in its orbit."
Eralp herself has repeatedly condemned all forms of antisemitism and reaffirmed Israel's right to exist.
The legal action comes as many conservative politicians have reacted with outrage to the victory of the socialist party in the elections on September 20.
Some observers, however, see the accusations of antisemitism levelled at the party as overblown and politically motivated.
German Left Party co-chair on allegations of antisemitism
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The DW newsroom in Bonn says guten Tag and willkommen to all its readers!
We will be looking at the antisemitism accusations targeting the Left Party in Berlin after it won state elections there a week ago.
The state chapter of the party has now filed a criminal complaint against Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt after he seemed to say its mayoral candidate, Elif Eralp, was an antisemite, which she strongly denies.
Meanwhile, the domestic intelligence agency BfV has warned that German know-how could be siphoned off by China during cooperations between universities and research institutes.
Read on for more on these and other stories!
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The criminal complaint will proceed to investigation phase
Likely · Within weeks
Dobrindt will issue a public statement defending his remarks
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- Will the criminal complaint proceed to trial?
- What evidence will be presented to support the defamation claim?
- How will this affect the Left Party's governance in Berlin?
- Will Dobrindt face any official repercussions?
