Citizenship - Dispute over state treaty with Muslim associations
The city of Hamburg's treaties with the Muslim associations and the Alevi community continue to divide the citizenry. The SPD and Greens government factions, with the support of The Left, tabled an initiative for an intensification of dialogue with religious communities based on existing treaties. The CDU, however, failed to pass a demand for suspending the agreement with the Schura - the Council of Islamic Communities in Hamburg, the Ditib-North Regional Association, and the Islamic Cultural Centers Association. The AfD also spoke out against maintaining the treaties.
Hamburg signed treaties with the Alevi community and Muslim associations in 2012, making it the first federal state to do so, regulating the foundations of coexistence, similar to those with Christian churches and the Jewish community.
Ten years later, the treaties were to be evaluated. The corresponding report of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, which had heard representatives of all parties and experts over the past few months, was presented to the public for a vote on a Wednesday.
Senate to Strengthen Engagement Against Antisemitism with Religious Communities
Ekkehard Wysocki, the SPD faction's religious policy spokesperson, referred to the achievements brought about by the treaties for Hamburg. "Religious education for all, intensive cooperation for the prevention of religious extremism, or even Imam training in Germany – these projects are important examples of how good communication and a binding exchange benefit Hamburg and the religious communities," he said. For Muslims, the treaties are "an important sign of their belonging to the city community."
"We respect you and your faith - this message comes from the treaties," said his Green colleague Michael Gwosdz. However, "it is essential and remains the confrontation with antisemitism and homophobia." Therefore, the Senate is urged to intensify engagement against these tendencies, as well as against Islamism and anti-Muslim racism, together with the religious communities. Additionally, it was decided to evaluate the treaties every ten years in the future.
CDU Demands Independent Scientific Evaluation
The CDU is not satisfied with this. "We demand a real evaluation of Hamburg's treaty with the Muslim associations," said faction leader Dennis Thering. This evaluation must be conducted by an independent scientific commission. "The question is, have all contracting parties internalized and lived up to the values of the inviolability of human dignity, basic rights, and tolerance as stipulated in Article 2? The answer is unfortunately disappointing."
He criticized the unclear distinction of the Schura from extremist groups and the connection of the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) with the Iranian regime. The Verfassungsschutz has been observing and classifying the IZH as extremist for a long time. It only left the Schura at the end of 2022, facing the impending evaluation of the treaties and high political pressure.
Insa Titjen, religious expert of The Left, accused the CDU of turning the evaluation of the treaties into an internal political debate from the beginning. "There was little indication of a willingness to dialogue," she said. Instead, the impression was given that problems would be solved by simply scrapping the treaties.
The AfD called for a fundamental revision or termination of the agreements. "Individual factions keep dancing around in front of us time and again," said Fraktionsvize Alexander Wolf.
- Despite the divisive nature of Hamburg's treaties with Muslim associations and the Alevi community, the SPD and Greens, along with The Left, advocated for strengthening dialogue with religious communities based on existing treaties.
- The CDU, on the other hand, failed to pass a demand to suspend the agreement with certain Islamic organizations, as the AfD also opposed maintaining these treaties.
- In the evaluation of the 10-year-old treaties, SPD's religious policy spokesperson Ekkehard Wysocki highlighted their benefits, such as promoting religious education and preventing extremism, while the CDU called for an independent scientific evaluation due to concerns about values and extremism links.
- The AfD, however, advocated for a fundamental revision or termination of the agreements, criticizing the ongoing debates as a dance around the issue without significant progress.
