‘Die Freiheit’: Freedom from Islam for Germany?

A new political party has been founded in Germany: Die Freiheit (Freedom). Its founder, René Stadtkewitz had previously been in the CDU but was expelled last Tuesday following his invitation to Geert Wilders to speak in Berlin. Given the recent controversy in Germany connected to the publication of Thilo Sarrazin’s book ‘Germany Abolishes Itself’ and its heavy criticism of Islam and Germany’s Muslim minorities, the indicators are that such a party could exert some appeal amongst sections of the German electorate. Following Sarrazin’s ostracism by the German political class which has resulted in his expulsion from the SPD and his announcement that he will be stepping down from his membership of the Bundesbank board before the end of September, might he not be tempted to join Die Freiheit?

The Islam in Europe blog quotes Stadtkewitz as saying: “Islam is not just a religion, it’s also a political system. Islam is intolerant towards those who think differently.” He states that although the name of his new party is similar to Geert Wilders’s Freedom Party (PVV) that the two are not (at least yet) linked, although the new party is said to be a “civic, liberal party” which would seem to ideologically align it with the PVV.

The 45-year-old Stadtkewitz has announced that the first elections to be contested by Die Freiheit will be those to the Berlin House of Representatives in the autumn of 2011. At the party’s core is the aim of reconnecting with voters who feel alienated from the established parties through a commitment to direct democracy modelled on the Swiss pattern, a prioritisation of personal freedom, reducing immigration and encouraging integration of Germany’s immigrant and immigrant-descended population: “To those who share our liberal values and are integrated with us, you are very welcome” but those “who would like to introduce the Sharia and treat women as second-class should not be tolerated.”

The other members of Die Freiheit’s founding trio are: Marc Doll (33), a former CDU security policymaker who resigned from the party yesterday, and Aaron Koenig (46), a journalist and former spokesman for the Pirate Party, the aim of which was to guarantee freedom of information on the internet. Pictured beneath they are from left to right: Marc Doll, René Stadtkewitz and Aaron Koenig (picture courtesy of PI News).