Legislative body - Left-leaning parliamentarian appointed as commissioner against antisemitism.
The left-wing parliamentarian Andreas Büttner is set to become the commissioner for combating anti-Semitism in Brandenburg, according to a report by the German Press Agency (dpa) on Tuesday. This decision is said to have been made by the ruling coalition of the SPD, CDU, and Greens, as well as the opposition parties of the Left and the Free Voters. The newspaper "B.Z." had previously reported on this. Currently, Büttner serves as the religious political spokesperson for the Left faction and is also one of the co-chairs of the Israel Friendship Circle in the Brandenburg state parliament.
The parliamentary committee will officially approve the appointment on Wednesday. Representatives from the Jewish community are involved in the decision-making process. The state parliament must then make the final decision on the candidate. By selecting one of the many candidates, the state parliament would bring an end to a lengthy search process before the legislative period comes to a close. The Green faction expressed support for Büttner on Tuesday.
The search has lasted a long time
The anti-Semitism commissioner is responsible for being a contact person for Jewish individuals and groups, in addition to addressing alleged anti-Semitic incidents. The state parliament voted unanimously to create this role in the past. The purpose of the position is to promote dialogue between different religions and work with the Jewish communities in Brandenburg. So far, the factions have been unable to agree on a candidate with the support of the Jewish communities. The AfD faction has opposed the creation of this position. They claim that the other factions want to use this issue to further their political agendas and exploit the experiences of people who have suffered from anti-Semitism.
In November of the previous year, Büttner made an emotional speech that received cross-party support. He spoke about a friend in Israel who was killed in a Hamas attack on October 7, saying, "Jewish life in Germany is in danger. We haven't done enough. The fight against anti-Semitism is an ongoing problem." Andreas Büttner, a native of Templin and born in 1973, is a police officer. He was a member of the CDU before joining the FDP, and later switched to the Left party. Büttner previously served as the State Secretary for Social Affairs in Brandenburg from 2018 to 2019. In the past, he has identified himself as a believing Mormon.
The candidates included the current anti-Semitism commissioner of the Jewish Communities in Brandenburg, Diana Sandler. On Tuesday, she wrote on Facebook, "I can continue my work with Andreas. Together, we will make a strong team for Jewish women and men in Brandenburg." Sandler previously said that if she was not elected, she would trust Büttner to take on the role.
Anti-Semitic crimes in Brandenburg have increased significantly in the past year. The police recorded 284 offenses, which is nearly 70% more than in 2022, as the Culture Ministry in Potsdam confirmed in response to a request from Büttner and Left parliamentarian Andrea Johlig in March. As a result, the number of recorded anti-Semitic crimes in Brandenburg has almost doubled since 2021.
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- Andreas Büttner, a member of the Left faction and the religious political spokesperson, was appointed by the ruling coalition of SPD, CDU, and Greens, along with the opposition parties of the Left and the Free Voters, as the commissioner for combating anti-Semitism in Brandenburg, according to a report by the German Press Agency.
- Andreas Büttner, who has also co-chaired the Israel Friendship Circle in the Brandenburg state parliament, currently serves in these roles and will be officially approved by the parliamentary committee on Wednesday.
- The decision to appoint Büttner as the anti-Semitism commissioner followed a lengthy search process, with the state parliament set to make the final decision on the candidate before the legislative period ends.
- The Green faction expressed support for Büttner on Tuesday, and Diana Sandler, the current anti-Semitism commissioner of the Jewish Communities in Brandenburg, wrote on Facebook that she could continue her work with him and trust him to take on the role if she was not elected.
- The appointment of Andreas Büttner as the commissioner for combating anti-Semitism in Brandenburg comes amid an increase in anti-Semitic crimes in the region, with the police recording 284 offenses in the past year, nearly 70% more than in 2022.
