Friday 23, February
Berlin coalition to discuss constitutional protections against Islamophobia
Berlin’s SPD parliamentary leader Raed Saleh is advocating for laws against Islamophobia to be entered into the state constitution, according to a report by Tagesspiegel. Saleh emphasises that this would be in addition to constitutional clauses which advocate against Antisemitism. The topic is set to be discussed in a study commission planned by the ‘black-red’ (CDU-SPD) coalition.
“I can well imagine us in Berlin saying that in our diverse city, we will enshrine the fight against Antisemitism, the fight against Islamophobia and against racism in the constitution,” Saleh told the dpa.
In mid-November, Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) and Social and Integration Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (SPD) proposed anchoring the fight against Antisemitism as a state objective in the constitution.
Saleh wants to send a clear signal: “We will not tolerate Antisemitism in our city. And anyone who [crosses the line] will have to deal with a robust democracy… We don’t tolerate Islamophobia, we don’t tolerate racism.”
