German Actors Protest Far-Right Vote in Parliament
A who’s who of German on-screen talent, including actors Daniel Brühl, Jella Haase, Birgit Minichmayr, Jürgen Vogel and Sonja Heiss, have signed an open letter protesting Wednesday’s vote in the German parliament that saw an anti-immigration policy passed with the support of the far-right AfD party.
A proposal from the conservative CDU party to introduce new measures, including permanent border controls at Germany’s borders with its European Union neighbors, a de-facto entry ban for anyone without valid documentation, and immediate detention for individuals facing deportation, narrowly passed the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament, on Wednesday but only with the support of the AfD. The proposals still have to be put to a formal vote before becoming law.
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The conservatives and all other parties in the Bundestag had pledged not to work with the AfD, which is widely considered to support extremist and anti-democrat positions. The pledge is colloquially referred to as a “firewall” between the AfD and Germany’s democratic parties.
The AfD is growing in popularity — it is currently ranked second in the polls behind the CDU and is expected to do well in national elections next month. The party has gotten some international support from Elon Musk who has publicly endorsed the far-right group, and appeared, via video link, at an AfD election event on Sunday.
In the open letter, the protestors called on public and political leaders to “uphold democratic values” and “safeguard the country’s cultural and social diversity.” The latter is addressed to CDU leader Friedrich Merz and members of the conservative “Union” parties and the neo-liberal FDP who voted for the measures, as well as members of the far-left BSW, who abstained from Wednesday’s vote.
You can read the open letter (translated into English) below:
Open Letter to Friedrich Merz, Members of the Union, FDP, and BSW: On the Fall of the Firewall – Against Any Cooperation with the AfD
This past weekend, hundreds of thousands took to the streets to stand for a truly politically practiced “Never Again is Now!” and to demonstrate against the AfD and any collaboration with it. We are therefore deeply horrified by a watershed moment in German history:
For the Union, followed by the FDP and BSW, threatens to completely tear down the already crumbling firewall by seeking the AfD’s approval for their plans on security and migration policy and, in doing so, accepting a de facto collaboration with this largely far-right party.
This pact with the AfD constitutes a historical breaking of taboos. Granting asylum to people is a constitutionally protected fundamental right and is also one of the central lessons learned from the crimes of National Socialism. The Union is willing to conclude these rights with the ideological heirs of the perpetrators and break the historical consensus of “Never Again.” This is happening in the week of Holocaust Remembrance Day.
You, the recipients of this letter from the Union, FDP, and BSW, have often said: “Never Again is Now!” You have often said: “The firewall stands.”
But no, it is not you who are supporting it; you are dramatically destabilizing it, and we have to recognize: We, the civil society of this country, must now be that firewall and remind you of your promises. You are threatening to undermine fundamental rights with the help of right-wing extremists and thus enabling the AfD to gain influence and power—perhaps even at the legislative level, should you collaborate with them during the next vote on Friday.
We, the signatories of this open letter from the fields of art, culture, media, and public life, demand that the members of the Union, FDP, and BSW immediately distance themselves from their unconstitutional plans and any form of cooperation with the AfD. Vote against the proposal or abstain from the vote.
We also condemn the form of division and incitement that is being fueled by the current racist, anti-Semitic, anti-diversity, and climate-hostile discourse, which contributes to the drift of society into the far-right spectrum. History is repeating itself, and this time we will not look away.
During the nationwide demonstrations this weekend, the slogan “We are the firewall” was shouted, and now it is time to put the firewall into practice: We invite everyone in this country to place candles, symbolizing the sea of lights from the demonstrations, in front of the CDU/CSU party headquarters as a reminder and vigil. Additionally, we encourage civil society to take action by emailing members of parliament (the NGO LeaveNoOneBehind has created a tool for this purpose) and by participating in demonstrations (listed nationwide at DEMOKRATEAM.org) to remind them of the need to preserve the firewall.
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