Ataman’s choice: A risky personality

The decision for Ataman was a courageous, but also risky one. Because the resentment in society will continue to grow in this crisis – and then, above all, conciliatory voices are needed.

It was a courageous, perhaps even risky, decision by family minister Lisa Paus to nominate publicist Ferda Ataman as anti-discrimination officer.

No question, Ataman is a smart and important voice. She challenges society again and again. For example, with the debate on whether it is right to ask Germans with dark skin, for example: “Where are you from?” Many who have asked this question may not have realized how excluding and hurtful it can be.

The problem is not that ataman initiates such debates, but how. Often with a polemical, provocative tone. Some say with an aggressive tone. This can lead to what is actually helpful, constructive criticism becoming an accusation, an accusation, which in turn causes injuries.

Beyond the goal

With the “blood and soil” formulation, she brought the former Federal Minister of the Interior, Horst Seehofer, close to the Nazi ideology because he wanted to set up a “Heimat” department in the Ministry of the Interior. The CSU politician himself is no saint. He has often provoked himself. At the time, however, he was concerned with creating living conditions that were as equivalent as possible throughout Germany. For example, authorities should also be located in regions where there has been a lack of secure jobs up to now. A model that the CSU had tested in Bavaria. Ataman’s criticism overshot the mark at the time.

This also explains why her election today to head the Federal Government’s Anti-Discrimination Agency caused a great deal of excitement and outrage. Not only in the Union or in politics, but also in social media and on the opinion pages of the big newspapers.

The resentment will grow

The election comes at a time when this country is “facing the worst economic and socio-political crisis since reunification”. This is how Employer President Rainer Dulger put it at the beginning of the week.

So far, the federal government has repeatedly given the impression that it could counteract the enormous price increases for energy and food – for example with the two relief packages. But many have a feeling that the government’s cushioning measures are reaching their limits. Money is already tight in the 2023 budget. Interest rates rise. Finance Minister Christian Lindner has already planned a large part of the reserve of 48 billion euros. In the years that follow, money is likely to become even tighter.

A warning

What society needs now are not only intelligent, but also forgiving voices. Because with the crisis, displeasure in the country is likely to grow. The Corona crisis showed what that means. Various enemies of the constitution quickly mingled with the demonstrators who were protesting against the government’s corona measures: right-wing extremists and anti-Semitic conspiracy mongers. The state had little choice but to look on in amazement.

This should be a warning to the federal government. It must prevent a similar situation from occurring again at an early stage. She probably does this best with a matter-of-fact, explanatory tone. Provocations could heat up the mood. That should also be clear to the new anti-discrimination officer.