Higher Education Institutions - Berlin's CDU party stands firm on its demand for the resignation of TU's president.
Dirk Stettner, leader of the CDU faction in Berlin, believes President Geraldine Rauch of the Technical University of Berlin will soon resign.
"If a politician draws swastikas and reckons with the consequences, the same should apply to the president of a university. I expect the university authorities to thoroughly consider whether Rauch should remain in office," Stettner said during an interview on RBB-Inforadio. He believes it's best for her to resign.
TU President Rauch is facing backlash for liking at least one anti-Semitic post on the platform X.
"Anyone who likes posts with obvious swastikas is being anti-Semitic. I don't believe anyone who claims they don't look at the image before liking a post. Drawing swastikas in a public position is not an acceptable error. Consequences are necessary," Stettner stated.
Stettner accuses Rauch of clinging to her position
Stettner explains why the CDU is criticizing Rauch heavily. "Those who speak publicly should be prepared for public response. Anti-Semitism is not something protected by university autonomy. This situation is about someone who has expressed themselves in an anti-Semitic manner and refuses to take responsibility."
Rauch had previously stated she'd like to continue as president despite a slender majority in the university's Academic Senate calling for her resignation. The overseeing board of TU, the Curatorium, will meet on Monday for a special session.
Read also:
- In response to the CDU's call for her resignation, TU's President Geraldine Rauch, despite facing criticism from a majority in the Academic Senate, has expressed her intent to continue in her role.
- The debate surrounding Rauch's position as TU president intensified after she was accused of liking anti-Semitic posts on X, an online platform.
- Following this incident, Dirk Stettner, leader of the CDU faction in Berlin, called for Rauch's resignation, stating that "anyone who likes posts with obvious swastikas is being anti-Semitic."
- Stettner's comments come as Geraldine Rauch faces backlash from various parties, not just the CDU, over her responses to the controversy.
- The overseeing board of TU, the Curatorium, will convene on Monday for a special meeting to discuss Rauch's future as president, amidst Germany's ongoing discussions on addressing and combating anti-Semitism.
- The Berlin House of Representatives, like many universities across Germany, has been a platform for discussions on how to tackle anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination, emphasizing the importance of holding public figures accountable for their actions.
