Germany’s new foreign minister seldom minces words. As justice minister he tangled with far-right groups and internet giants. And despite political defeats, he’s found a way to make a comeback.
“For me it is all about fairness. That is what I have been fighting for my entire political career. And that is what I stand for.” That is how Heiko Maas describes himself on his website. The characterization is perfect for a justice minister. But, after four years, the Social Democrat will leave that post to become Germany’s new top diplomat.
That does not mean he has to jettison his stance. A confident and opinionated politician, he will have to exhibit much more verbal restraint than he has in the past. One wrong word in his new position would be more likely to unleash unforeseen consequences than in other political posts.
Maas is not someone who shoots off his mouth without thinking. Nevertheless, his resolute nature has made him a repeated target of criticism from the right-wing AfD and the Pegida movement. This was the case most recently when he pushed through a new law against hate speech on social media sites as justice minister.
Defending his decision against accusations of censorship and insults that he was a traitor, Maas pointed to the insidious effect of hate speech on social cohesion: “This is the end of our democracy’s culture of intellectual debate.”
This is also a concern he is likely to have on the international stage in his new role as foreign minister. For beyond Germany’s borders, populists not only hold seats in parliaments, they also run governments. Maas will have to be prepared to hear shrill tones emanating from capitals like Ankara, Budapest and Warsaw.
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Snappy tweets from a foreign minister are taboo
German politicians have recently been accused of using “Nazi methods” from such foreign powers. Should similar indiscretions be thrown around in the future – from wherever they may come – Maas will have to refrain from sending out sharp retorts via Twitter.
For more read the full of article at The DW
