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Interior Minister Seehofer had long argued with the SPD about a comprehensive study on racism. Now apparently there is a compromise. The officers’ load will reportedly be carefully scrutinized.
After months of bickering, Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has apparently agreed with the SPD on a study that should also consider possible racism among the police. In a meeting between Seehofer and Chancellor Angela Merkel and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Chancellery, there was now an approximation of the question. As reported by the news agency dpa and the “Spiegel”, the CSU politician insists on investigating the difficulties in the daily life of the security agents at the same time.
According to an internal document, it says: “Our police officers should not be left alone with their experiences. There is no tolerance for extremism, racism and anti-Semitism.” Therefore, the planned study should examine “how this statement can also be lived in the future.” At the same time, the relationship between society and the police must be analyzed more closely and the “changing conditions of the social framework” must be included. This also included violence and hatred against police officers.
Seehofer had already spoken out in favor of such a study when the right-wing extremism management report was presented two weeks ago.
No separate study of racism
At a press conference, however, Seehofer made it clear that nothing had changed in his position on the issue. What you announced weeks ago applies. Therefore, one study should address racism in society and a second the change in working conditions in the police.
Increasing violence against police officers and the authorities’ zero tolerance policy regarding right-wing extremism, racism and anti-Semitism played a role, Seehofer said. The study will ensure “that this will also be experienced by the security authorities in the future.” But there will be no study that is directed “with complaints and complaints against the police.” The vast majority of police officers adhere to the constitution.
Seehofer against general suspicion
After police officers discovered far-right chat groups in several federal states, the SPD had already asked the police for a comprehensive study on racism. Seehofer had argued, however, that it was wrong to focus solely on the security authorities when investigating this phenomenon. This would put police under general suspicion, he said, but was open to investigating security authorities as part of a comprehensive study on racism in society.
At the end of September, the police union (GdP) made its own study proposal, to which Seehofer now appears to be returning. She called for an “investigation into the daily life of the police” to document the charges. But also to find out why “prejudices against certain social groups” sometimes solidified among individual officials, and what can be done about it.
In addition to the study, there should be a broader study of everyday racism. According to the information from “Spiegel” in the unification, “the development and spread of discriminatory acts in civil society, in businesses and companies, as well as in public institutions motivated by racist attitudes should be investigated.”
Scholz had announced a study on racism
Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) had already announced on Monday night that the federal government wanted to investigate racism within the police. “There will be a study,” the SPD politician said aloud. WDR. “We are still thinking about what to call them.” He exchanges ideas “every other day” with the federal interior minister, Horst Seehofer. Last week, Seehofer had emphasized “that we have no structural problem with right-wing extremism in the federal and state security authorities.”
Scholz explained to the WDR In addition, in a study it is difficult to find a way that makes it possible “for the incredibly large majority of police officers who do a good job to try very hard and do everything well, not feel like they are destined.”
Commitment also to online searches
Seehofer has now reached a compromise with the SPD not only on this point. According to reports, the Union and the SPD should have reached an agreement on the amendment of the constitutional protection law that has been planned for a long time.
At the meeting at the Chancellery, Merkel, Seehofer and Scholz agreed that the federal intelligence services would be given more surveillance powers. In the future, all three services should be able to reproduce suspicious Trojans on mobile phones to be able to record encrypted messages and calls through applications such as WhatsApp.
