Dispute over accusations of anti-Semitism: Left reports Dobrindt

dpa | According to her lawyer, the Berlin left-wing politician Elif Eralp and her regional association have filed a criminal complaint against Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. According to the written statement, the CSU politician is said to have made a statement about Eralp as an “anti-Semite”. This constitutes the offense of defamation and insult, explained lawyer Jasper Prigge to the German Press Agency.

This is about a passage from the ZDF program “Maybrit Illner” from Thursday, in which there was a war of words between Dobrindt and the left-wing parliamentary group leader Heidi Reichinnek. Moderator Illner made a promise, but immediately corrected herself: “Elif Eralp says she is an anti-Semite… She is not an anti-Semite.” Then Dobrindt said: “Oh yes.”

Lawyer Prigge argues that Dobrindt made Illner's slip of the tongue his own. This is “slander” within the meaning of the criminal code. Dobrindt makes a false statement of fact. It is an “insult” within the meaning of the Criminal Code because being called an anti-Semite is “significantly defamatory.”

The written statement continues: "The act is ultimately also likely to significantly complicate Ms. Eralp's public work. The dissemination of the false claim by the Interior Minister on television that Ms. Eralp would say that she is an anti-Semite is likely to impair her integrity as a political official and thus the formation of a government in the state of Berlin."

Eralp became the strongest force with the Left in the House of Representatives election in Berlin on September 20th with 25.7 percent of the vote and is aiming for the office of governing mayor in a red-green-red coalition. Accusations of anti-Semitism have been made against her party, including because a pro-Palestinian rapper called for violence against the Israeli army at a party event.

Dobrindt said last week in Banz Monastery that the Left Party in Berlin “clearly tolerates anti-Semites and extremists in their environment.” Before and after the election, Eralp distanced itself from any anti-Semitism and calls for violence and affirmed Israel's right to exist.