The daughter of Palestinian immigrants is to be the Berlin senate’s secretary of state for coordinating federal and state affairs, but attention has focused on her recent remarks in support of Sharia law.
Berlin state senate member, former deputy speaker for foreign affairs and Muslim rising star of German politics Sawsan Chebli is to get a new cabinet post. The appointment by the Red-Red-Green coalition government has caused concern after a recent interview in which she expressed her view that Sharia law was perfectly compatable with secular German society.
Speaking back in August alongside Berlin Social Democrat party Mayor Michael Muller, she not only defended Sharia law against suspicion by many Germans who she accused of not understanding what it meant, but she also went on the attack too. Criticising members of anti-mass migration party Alternative for German (AfD), she said their views towards foreigners made them fundementally un-German.
Speaking to the Franzfurter Allgeimeine Zeitung, she said: “My father is a pious Muslim, hardly speaks German, can neither read nor write, but he is more integrated than many functionaries of the AfD who question our constitution”.
Germany’s newspaper of record and the nation’s most widely-read broadsheet Welt reported Sunday that while the politician attempted to portray the image of the perfect “successful migrant” who despite being born to illiterate, stateless parents was able to succeed in education and enter politics, there are “cracks” displayed by her support of Sharia.
In August she complained that in political discourse, German national law and Sharia law are always presented as contradictory to each other, and said “Everyone talks about Shariah, but hardly anyone knows what Sharia means”. Remarking that Sharia exists “largely to govern the relationship between God and man”, Chebli said Sharia law was “absolutely compatible” with Germany.
In a letter to Mayor Muller seen by Welt, a senior member of Angela Merkel’s ruling Christian Democrat party moved to criticise the appointment of Chebli, remarking: “It is detrimental to the peaceful coexistence in our city, when a Sharia-trivialising minister such as Ms. Chebli exercises government responsibility”.
“There can be no evasion [around this matter]. I expect a clear distinction from a member of government [over Sharia law]”.
As reported by Breitbart London, Berlin’s SPD faction and Mayor Muller have proven extremely friendly towards migrants, with the city conspiring to prevent deportations of predominantly Muslim illegals ordered by the federal government. As Berlin’s new secretary of state for federal and state affairs, it will be up to Sharia-friendly Chebli to manage that relationship between central government and sanctuary-city Berlin.
Follow Oliver Lane on Twitter: Follow @Oliver_Lane or e-mail to: olane@breitbart.com
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