Image Source: AA
July 2, 2024 Story by: Editor
BERLIN – Karamba Diaby, Germany’s first Black legislator, has declared that he will not seek re-election for a parliamentary seat in the upcoming elections next year.
The Senegalese-born Diaby has faced numerous threats from neo-Nazis and right-wing extremists in recent years. His office has been targeted multiple times, including instances of gunfire and an arson attack.
“Racism and hatred are not the primary reasons for my decision not to run for the Bundestag again. I have personal reasons for stepping down, and I also want to create space for younger individuals,” Diaby told the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper.
The 62-year-old expressed disappointment over the rise in racist attacks and xenophobic hate crimes and criticized the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for fueling anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiments.
“In the Bundestag, especially since 2017, we have witnessed AfD speeches filled with hatred and derogation towards migrants and other minorities. This kind of rhetoric creates a breeding ground for street-level hatred,” Diaby stated.
“I have recently received death threats, and last year, there was an arson attack on my office in Halle. The most troubling aspect is that my team is also being threatened,” he added.
“That is a red line that is being crossed. We must engage in tough discussions, but violence should never be a method,” he emphasized.
Diaby made history in 2013 as the first African-born Black individual elected to the German parliament, the Bundestag. He has served as a lawmaker for over a decade, representing the voters of Halle. Source: AA
