- Title: Merkel warns against racism on anniversary of German reunification
- Date: 3rd October 2019
- Summary: KIEL, GERMANY (OCTOBER 3, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, SHAKING HANDS WITH BYSTANDERS AS CHURCH BELLS ARE HEARD RINGING GERMAN PRESIDENT, FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, AND HIS WIFE, ELKE BUEDENBENDER, SHAKING HANDS WITH BYSTANDERS, MERKEL IN FOREGROUND TWO MEN BEHIND CRASH BARRIERS HOLDING MOBILE PHONES TALKING TO MERKEL VARIOUS OF MERKEL POSING FOR CAMERAS WITH COUNTRY'S POLITICAL ELITE (FROM LEFT: SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN STATE PREMIER, DANIEL GUENTHER, WITH WIFE, ANKE GUENTHER, PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT, WOLFGANG SCHAEUBLE, WITH WIFE HOLDING HIS WHEELCHAIR, ELKE BUEDENBENDER AND PRESIDENT STEINMEIER, MERKEL, PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, ANDREAS VOSSKUHLE, WITH HIS WIFE, EVA VOSSKUHLE STANDING NEXT TO MERKEL) POLICE BOAT MERKEL AND OTHERS WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 17th October 2019 14:03
- Keywords: German reunification day angela merkel wolfgang schaeuble president frank-walter steinmeier
- Location: KIEL, GERMANY
- City: KIEL, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZJK4SN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Chancellor Angela Merkel made a veiled attack on the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on the 29th anniversary of German reunification on Thursday (October 3), saying economic grievances in the east were no excuse for racism.
In a speech marking the anniversary, Merkel cited a government-commissioned report that found economic discrepancies between the eastern and western parts of Germany and which said people in the east feel like second-class citizens.
But she said this was no justification for verbal attacks on foreigners under the guise of free speech, and that such attacks threatened democracy in Germany.
Merkel did not mention the anti-migrant AfD by name but it has stronger support in eastern parts of Germany and made big gains in elections in two eastern regions last month.
"It should never be the case that disappointment with politics, however significant, be accepted as a legitimate reason to marginalise, threaten or attack others because of their skin colour, religion, sex, or sexual orientation," Merkel said in the northern city of Kiel.
The report cited by Merkel showed East Germany's economic strength has risen to 75% of the West German level from 43% in 1990. Employment is at a high in the east and wages there are 84% of those in the west, it showed.
The report found that less than 40% say reunification was worth it and less than half are happy with democracy in Germany.
(Production: David Sahl, Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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