German Federal Minister for Agriculture and Education, Cem Özdemir of the Green Party, has criticized the German Islam Conference at the Federal Ministry of the Interior. “Often, the completely wrong people are courted and every minister invents the wheel anew” he told the Tagesspiegel (Thursday edition). “The last time that high-level work was done was under Minister Wolfgang Schäuble.”
Özdemir stated that the equality of men and women or, for example, same-sex marriage in Germany were hard-won, often by the Left, the Greens and Social Democrats against the Christian Democrats. “I do not understand why those who have fought for all this, occasionally struggle to apply the same standards to an imam as they once did to a Catholic bishop” said the designated top candidate of the Greens in Baden-Württemberg.
He wishes for more clarity. “I say: Regardless of how you interpret your religion, it must be in compliance with the constitution. In the public space, there is only one holy book and that is the Constitution” Özdemir said.
The Minister sees a still very large need for action. “Everyone must be able to walk safely in Neuköln with a kippa, women must be able to move safely in a mini skirt everywhere and gay or lesbian couples must be able to hold hands walking anywhere” said the Green politician. “As long as this is not the case, we have a massive problem in Germany.