A cynical approach by activists to german Minister of the Interiors and Homeland Horst Seehofers migration politics.

The past weeks in german parliamentary politics have been overcast by a fight on power. Bavarian politician Horst Seehofer, minister of the interior and homeland has demanded a harsh turn in migration politics attacking chancellor Angela Merkel. The two year-long conservative partners CDU and CSU have argued on a closely monitored, open and public level. Berlin initiatives called for a demonstration to ‘Deport Seehofer’ and his migration politics to Bavaria. At the same time activists in Munich gathered to rally against this. Seehofer and his politics are not welcome here either they stated.

‘Deport Seehofer’

The last-year elected german government under leadership of Angela Merkel has already seen heavy struggles. Only forming the coalition took months of negotiations. The shift to the right that was whitnessable the past years has found its way to the big parliamentary stage. CSU leader and minister of the interior and homeland, Horst Seehofer introduced his so called ‘Migrationplan’. Voices against Seehofer in Berlin in politics have grown more and more. Activists took the chance to demand ‘Deport Seehofer’. More than three hundred people gathered in front of the Bavarian House in Berlin.

‘Seehofer not Welcome’

seehoferabschiebung 20180625 3 - Deport Seehofer - Or Not ? — Activists at Munich Sendlinger Tor. Photo by Michael Trammer

Geflüchtete Rein, Seehofer Raus.
( Refugees In, Seehofer Out)

At the same time social initiatives gathered in Munich downtown. Partially the artists’ collective ‘Polizeiklasse’ held an art performance during the demonstration. The collective has recently gotten into news, after protesting the new authoritarian police law enacted several weeks ago. Past weeks the students threw up in blue in front of the Bavarian state chancellery stating ‘Your politics make aus barf’. Part of the performance today at Sendlinger Tor was also a fan of Horst Seehofer in a KKK-style robe, holding up a sign welcoming Horst Seehofer back. The demonstration attacked the racist.

At both demonstrations a speech was held by the Munich activists calling for a meeting at the Bavarian border to hold a meeting and argue on the further treatement of Horst Seehofer. The Munich activists threaten to stop beer-exports and move the Oktoberfest to Berlin, in case Horst is deported to Bavaria. Overall the artistic and cynic take on the public battle for power on the back of migration politics – just to cath back very few far-right voters – is very necessary and great. It is only to remind that deportations from Germany are taking place on a regular basis. That refugees are subjective to far-right politics and struggles for refugees – social and political – are still on the rise.

by Nora Börding, Berlin and Michael Trammer, Munich