Free Democrats (Germany)

Clerics & Preachers

Muslims in the German military to get their own chaplaincy Bundeswehr soldiers of Islamic faith have long lacked the pastoral care available to their Christian and, as of recent years, Jewish counterparts. What was once seen as politically impossible is about to change.

April 1, 2024   

(Deutsche Welle) As the parliamentary commissioner for the German armed forces, or Bundeswehr, Eva Högl is responsible for ensuring that the issues and needs of German soldiers get heard. In mid-March, Högl presented her third annual report in her role as commissioner […]

Clerics & Preachers

German MP: Taxpayers should fund German mosques to prevent radicalisation Critics agree that foreign funding should be banned, but say German Muslims should fund their own mosques.

January 9, 2024   

(European Conservative) A top Christian Democrat politician wants to amend the constitution if necessary, so that German taxes can be used to pay for mosques.  Jens Spahn — a former minister and deputy leader of the opposition center-right CDU/CSU’s parliamentary group — […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Germany: Hostility toward Muslims is widespread How great is the resentment, racism and discrimination against Germany's 5.5 million Muslims? The Federal Interior Ministry's findings paint a bleak picture.

June 29, 2023   

(Deutsche Welle) A hostile attitude toward Muslims is widespread in large sections of German society. Its manifestations are an everyday reality. One in two people in Germany agrees with anti-Muslim statements. These are the findings published this Thursday (June 29) by the Independent […]

Law Enforcement

9/11: 20 years on, Germany still grapples with militant Islamists On the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Taliban flag is flying over Kabul again. A German police expert fears that Afghanistan could once again become a gathering place for jihadis — including from Germany.

September 4, 2021   

(Deutsche Welle) Sven Kurenbach still remembers the images of the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsing and the spontaneous minute of silence at the Berlin police department that followed. When Islamist terrorists weaponized passenger planes on September 11, 2001 — killing […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s FDP urges probe into Islamic Relief funding and ties to Muslim Brotherhood Demands for background checks on Islamic Relief leaders before the government issues millions of euros in grants

October 7, 2020   

(National-UAE) Politicians in Germany are demanding urgent answers over the government’s funding of charity Islamic Relief and its links to the Muslim Brotherhood. Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP) is demanding an inquiry into the Muslim Brotherhood’s ties in the nation. It follows […]

Arts & Entertainment

Germany: Backlash after Düsseldorf enlists rapper Farid Bang for coronavirus video The German city of Düsseldorf has come under fire for collaborating with controversial rapper Farid Bang to produce a coronavirus social distancing appeal video. The artist has been accused of anti-Semitism in the past.

July 22, 2020   

(Deutsche Welle) The anti-Semitism commissioner from Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, has sharply criticized a video featuring controversial German rapper Farid Bang which calls on people to observe COVID-19 social distancing regulations. The short video was produced in collaboration with the […]

Academics & Education

German authorities, politicians divided on niqab, burqa ban Politicians across party lines agree that the niqab and the burqa are out of place at schools and universities. Some, however, fear that a ban could hamper integration into German society.

February 8, 2020   

(Deutsche Welle) There are very few women and girls in Germany wearing a full-face veil such as the niqab or the burqa — most likely a mere two-digit number. A recent verdict handed down by a Hamburg court, however, has sparked a […]

Government & Politics

Germany deported more than 90 ‘potential terrorists’ Since 2016, Germany has deported a number of people suspected of being willing or capable of carrying out terrorist attacks. The government figures were released in response to a parliamentary inquiry.

December 6, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) Germany has deported 90 “Gefährder” and other “relevant persons” since the 2016 attack on a Berlin Christmas market, according to German newsmagazine Der Spiegel, which cited a government response to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday. In Germany a “Gefährder” (lit. “endangerer”) […]

Deradicalization

Germany: Don’t panic over ‘Islamic State’ returnees’ arrival Berlin has tried to reassure the public that suspected German Islamic State supporters being deported from Turkey do not pose a security threat. Critics say the government should have brought them back sooner.

November 14, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) A family of seven German Islamists arrived in Berlin on Thursday after the Turkish Interior Ministry announced earlier this week that it would start deportations of captured “Islamic State” supporters. There are no German arrest warrants for the family of German-Iraqi Kanan B., meaning […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s Horst Seehofer warns of ‘refugee wave’ bigger than in 2015 German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has called on the EU to do more to support Turkey and avoid another refugee crisis. If nothing is done, he said, the crisis may become 'even greater than four years ago.'

October 6, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has warned of a larger influx of refugees than that seen in Europe in 2015. He made the statement during an official visit to Greece. Traveling with incoming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, […]

Government & Politics

Germany loses track of 160 ‘Islamic State’ supporters About 1,000 Germans traveled to the Middle East to join the 'Islamic State' after 2013. A third of them have since returned to Germany. Some died on the battlefield, others are in prison, but many appear to be missing.

June 23, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) The German government has lost track of more than 160 German “Islamic State” (IS) supporters who traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the terror group, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper has reported. The figure from the Interior Ministry was […]