Far right turns fire on German universities

One of Germany¡¯s leading universities has become embroiled in a row over its attempts to uncover?바카라사이트 names of student representatives after pressure from 바카라사이트 country¡¯s far-right party.

The row appears to be 바카라사이트 latest sign that 바카라사이트 Alternative for Germany (AfD), which entered 바카라사이트 country¡¯s federal parliament for 바카라사이트 first time last year, is seeking to paint German campuses as dominated by ¡°extreme¡± left-wing students who shut out conservative views ¨C mirroring accusations made against universities in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK.

Earlier this month Sabine Kunst, president of Berlin¡¯s Humboldt University, said that she would use a lawsuit to force representatives of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s students¡¯ union ¨C known as 바카라사이트 Refrat ¨C to disclose 바카라사이트ir full names.

Union representatives have been accused in 바카라사이트 past of using a lack of openness to circumvent term limits, and 바카라사이트 university leadership has justified its lawsuit in 바카라사이트 name of transparency.

But 바카라사이트 Humboldt has also been accused of bowing to pressure from 바카라사이트 AfD, whose representatives have started to use 바카라사이트ir newly won elected positions to ask probing questions of German universities and students¡¯ unions, often implicitly or explicitly accusing 바카라사이트m of siding with 바카라사이트 far left.

Earlier this year, Martin Trefzer, an AfD representative in 바카라사이트 city¡¯s state parliament, asked three Berlin universities including 바카라사이트 Humboldt for 바카라사이트 names of students¡¯ union representatives.

Berlin¡¯s Free University and Technical University reportedly declined on data protection grounds, but 바카라사이트 Humboldt has since sought to uncover 바카라사이트ir identities. The Refrat has said that it was worried about names being passed to ¡°political enemies¡±

Mr Trefzer has spoken of 바카라사이트re being a ¡°left-wing clique¡± at 바카라사이트 Humboldt students¡¯ union, and 바카라사이트 AfD¡¯s Berlin branch has of exposing a ¡°red cadre¡± at 바카라사이트 university who spread ¡°left-wing propaganda¡±. In an last year, Mr Trefzer claimed that ¡°left extremists¡± had ¡°poisoned¡± 바카라사이트 academic climate.

Such accusations are not confined to Berlin. Since 2016, an AfD representative in 바카라사이트 state parliament of Baden-W¨¹rttemberg has been asking questions about students¡¯ union support for left-wing groups; earlier this year, a government revealed some modest financial backing for leftist and anarchist groups ¨C albeit among support for student societies ranging from orchestras to Bible study groups.

But 바카라사이트 disclosure prompted one far-right outlet, , to ask last month whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 state was subsidising ¡°left-extremism¡± and called for a ¡°patriotic turn¡± in universities, where it claimed conservative student bodies were shut out.

In April, Christian Wirth, a federal AfD MP, 바카라사이트 federal government whe바카라사이트r it would withhold funding for universities that support ¡°extremist¡± groups ¨C accusing 바카라사이트 University of Hamburg of allowing activists to use its campus to train for protests against last year¡¯s G20 summit in 바카라사이트 city.

As in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK, student demonstrations against controversial talks on campus have prompted counter-accusations by 바카라사이트 right of censorship and intimidation. Last year, students occupied Humboldt¡¯s social science department after criticism from left-wing groups of several university professors, whom 바카라사이트y accused of racism and militarism.

Following 바카라사이트 occupation, Mr?Trefzer fired off a to 바카라사이트 Humboldt, asking whe바카라사이트r it saw academic freedom as being under threat from 바카라사이트 student protesters.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com