this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2025
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25
Germany: MERA25 parliamentary candidate dismissed for expressing solidarity with Palestine (www.wsws.org)
submitted 4 hours ago by IndustryStandard@lemmy.world to c/europe@feddit.org
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Schweizer was a civil service lawyer and worked as a consultant in the Ministry of Labour. In this year’s federal election, she ran on the Berlin state list for MERA25 and as a direct candidate in Berlin Mitte. The hate campaign that led to Schweizer’s dismissal was triggered by a December 6 post on X in which she accused the Zionist Malca Goldstein-Wolf of waging a “defamation campaign” because she had called the renowned journalist Georg Restle an antisemite for his criticism of Netanyahu’s war.

Goldstein-Wolf apparently researched Schweizer’s occupation and, when she found out that she worked for the Ministry of Labour, made this known on X and initiated a smear campaign against her. Hundreds of Zionist trolls then spread the most vicious slanders against Schweizer and demanded that she be fired.

The media also immediately joined in the smear campaign. On December 11, the tabloid Bild ran with the headline “Heil shocked! Employee spreads vile hatred of Israel” and went so far as to accuse Schweizer of trivialising the Holocaust.

Schweizer was then invited to a staff meeting, then suspended in January and finally dismissed without notice from her job and stripped of her civil servant status in February. At the same time, in the final days of the federal election campaign, her LinkedIn account was blocked without explanation.

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[–] Mem@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (2 children)

TL;DR This is a fringe opinion piece with a pretty far-fetched conclusion. She can take this to court; German courts usually make nuanced decisions and defend free speech. The discussion around this is necessary, but this article leaves no/ little place for differing opinions.

While her dismissal should receive more attention, I don't think the wsws is a particularly good source. The article is extremely one-sided and doesn't question Schweizers own statements at all. Furthermore, there seems to be no actual reporting/ journalism involved in this, its content is purely made up of previously published media (e.g. twitter and BILD). I think this is just an opinion piece and should be treated as such.

I think the author had a clear message in mind before writing this, as the text goes on to bundle this case with a few other unrelated high-visibility cases that have different circumstances to question the freedom of speech in Germany. While there is a discussion to be had, the article offers no foundation to support the broad picture it paints.

Do not forget that Melanie Schweizer can take this to court and German courts don't tend to fuck around willy-nilly when it comes to freedom of speech. The German state/ public is capable of nuance, don't let this fringe opinion piece tell you otherwise.

[–] Saleh@feddit.org 1 points 13 minutes ago

Meanwhile the federal comissioner for combating antisemitism hailed Trumps plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza, and faces no repercussions.

See

https://www.nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1189615.antisemitismus-beauftragter-der-fall-felix-klein-schroedingers-bundesbeauftragter.html

For an article contrasting the different treatment. In Germany calling for ethnic cleansing is apperently acceptable for government officials...

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world -4 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Tldr: selective application of rules to Palestine. Germans justifying it.

Funny how everyone ignores the large scale slander campaign against her by Zionist organizations.

[–] superkret@feddit.org 8 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

To anyone only reading headlines and comments: She wasn't dismissed from parliament for expressing her opinion.
That would be completely undemocratic and is impossible in Germany.
She was dismissed as an employee of the state, where she was bound by oath to stay politically neutral in public.
She never won a seat in the election.

[–] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world -3 points 2 hours ago

To anyone only reading comments; consider listening to the explanation of the suspended person. https://youtu.be/ETnMLb_ql1g

[–] gigachad@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (1 children)

The actions taken by the federal and state authorities are a clear warning signal. Against the background of the greatest militarisation and rearmament offensive in Germany since Hitler, which is currently being prepared by the ruling class, any form of opposition to capitalism, fascism and war is to be suppressed.

Sorry, but can we please leave these shitposts at lemmy.ml?

[–] snuggles@feddit.org 8 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (2 children)

By German law civil servants have to be neutral both in their job as well as their public communication and as representatives of a public office cannot make public statements that has potential to reduce trust of citizens in the neutrality and equity of treatment of the state and the office they're representing. As a civil servant and a lawyer on top she was well aware of this law. And if she wasn't she's probably not a very good lawyer.

[–] Saleh@feddit.org 1 points 10 minutes ago

Unless they are the federal commissioner for combating antisemitism. Then they can call for ethnic cleansing.

https://www.nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1189615.antisemitismus-beauftragter-der-fall-felix-klein-schroedingers-bundesbeauftragter.html