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.
