Aidan Ozoguz. Photo: nedelia.az
According to Cursorinfo, a new political scandal has erupted in Germany, involving anti-Semitism at the highest level of government. Aidan Ozoguz, Deputy President of the Bundestag from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), was in the spotlight after publishing an image of a burning building with the caption “Zionism” on the social network X (formerly Twitter): “This is Zionism”.
A wave of criticism and calls for resignation
This post caused a wave of criticism, especially from the opposition, which immediately called for her resignation. Political opponents stressed that this is not the first time Ozoguz has been involved in such a scandal. At the same time, the Social Democratic Party of Hamburg, which nominated her to the Bundestag, said it would continue to support its representative, recognising her action as a mistake but not a reason for her resignation.
Strong media reaction
The deputy editor-in-chief of BILD, Paul Ronzheimer, called the incident “a disgrace to the Bundestag”. In his column, he drew attention to the contrast between the German government’s regular statements about combating anti-Semitism and the situation unfolding in the heart of parliament. In his opinion, Ozoguz’s statements not only demonstrate contempt for the Jewish people, but also undermine the basis of Germany’s official support for Israel.
Using the term “Zionism” as an insult
Ronzheimer noted that the use of the term “Zionism” in the context of a burning building is an unacceptable form of contempt and outrage. He stressed that in a country that officially declares its fight against anti-Semitism and support for peaceful coexistence, such behaviour should lead to immediate consequences, including resignation. Instead, however, Ozoguz confined herself to a formal apology, in which she claimed that she had not intended to offend supporters of peaceful conflict resolution.
Possible consequences for Germany’s reputation
According to Ronzheimer, such a mild reaction to anti-Semitic statements by a high-ranking politician not only casts a shadow over Germany’s reputation, but could also have serious international consequences. He called on the Chancellor and the SPD leadership to strongly demand Ozoguz’s resignation to avoid an even bigger reputational scandal.
