Over 70% of Germans opposed Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maiziere's idea to officially introduce Muslim holidays in a number of the country's regions, Tagesspiegel reported, citing a recent survey. Only 7.8% percent of the respondents spoke in favor of the move.
The Voice of People
The criticism of the population has been especially evident in social media.
Many criticized the proposal, saying that Germany should stick to its culture and calling the move provocative…
Wie bescheuert ist der Innenmister eigentlich, jetzt mit so einem provokativen Vorschlag um die Ecke zu kommen
— KaBa (@KaEli142) 14 октября 2017 г.
How stupid must be the interior minister actually to come up with such a provocative proposal?
Gibts in islamischen Ländern auch christliche Feiertage? 😡 @CDU @cducsubt #cdu #csu
— DerSteuerzahler (@DerSteuerzahler) 11 октября 2017 г.
Are there Christian holidays in Muslim countries?
Der deutsche @BMI_Bund #Maizière will musl. Feiertage gesetzl. einführen. Kommt als Nächstes Steinigung am Freitag, Fahrverbote für Frauen? pic.twitter.com/drp6cBovvT
— Gerald Grosz (@GeraldGrosz) 15 октября 2017 г.
The German @BMI_Bund # Maizière wants to introduce Islamic holidays at the legislative level. What comes next: stoning on Friday, driving bans for women?
Er wird kommen. Dafür schaffen wir dann Ostern oder Weihnachten ab. Wir werden es noch erleben bei dieser moslemischen Einwanderung. Igitt.
— Wolfgang Müller (@mue48) 14 октября 2017 г.
It will come. Then we replace Easter or Christmas. We will see it with this Muslim immigration. Yuck.
Warum keinen buddhistischen oder hinduistischen oder jüdischen oder oder……Feiertag????? Warum ausgerechnet einen muslimischen Feiertag?
— Ludwig Blöchl (@Wiggi54) 14 октября 2017 г.
Why not a Buddhist or Hindu or Jewish or…… holiday????? Why exactly a Muslim Holiday?
…others said that the plan is just "crazy."
Ein muslimischer Feiertag?
— Alternative für 🇩🇪 (@AfD) 11 октября 2017 г.
Sehr gerne — der 3️⃣0️⃣. Februar bietet sich da an!
Was meinen Sie?#AfD #LtwNds
Quelle: https://t.co/QOSNsWhMr5 pic.twitter.com/nfFsfxEfim
A Muslim holiday? We propose February 30th.
Total verrückt.
— Janine (@JanineDaggie) 17 октября 2017 г.
Totally crazy.
Warum müssen Kanzler/Minister nicht regelm zur Untersuchung um ihren Geisteszustand untersuchen z lassen? Aus Angst dass keiner über bleibt?
— Werner Herbert (@Preussenteufel1) 14 октября 2017 г.
Why is there no regular mental check-up for chancellors/ministers? Because they fear no one is left?
Debates Among Politicians
Maiziere's proposal has caused vivid debates among German politicians as well. The opinions among the country's political elite have been divided.
For instance, the head of the Central Committee of German Catholics, Thomas Sternberg, supported the initiative, saying that Muslim holidays "can be introduced without changing the Christian tradition of the country."
The plan was also backed up by Green Party MP Christian Ströbele. "Welcome to the club", the politician tweeted and recalled that he has been proposing the introduction of an Islamic holiday in Germany since 2004. "Maiziere does it now, too, well it's nice," he continued.
Welcome im Club. Seit 2004 schlage ich islamischen Feiertag für Dt. vor als Signal in musl.Welt. Min. Maiziere tut das jetzt auch. Doch nett
— Christian Ströbele (@MdB_Stroebele) 14 октября 2017 г.
However, some members of Maiziere's CDU party have sharply criticized his move.
"I am deeply shocked that the head of the Catholics' Central Committee spoke in favor of introducing an Islamic holiday," the party's Secretary General Andreas Scheuer said. "I am a Catholic, and I am sure that this is not the opinion of the overwhelming majority of Christians in Germany," he added.
Last week, Germany's Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maiziere suggested that the legislature should discuss the possibility of officially celebrating Muslim holidays in some regions of the country where the proportion of Muslim residents is high.
As result of the migration crisis that started in 2015, over 4.5 million Muslims live in Germany nowadays, or 5.5 percent of the total population of the country.
