The Bundestag elects Ferda Ataman as the new head of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency. The publicist is controversial. Critics accuse the 42-year-old of playing down “clan crime” and Islamism.
Ferda Ataman has been elected Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination. The publicist achieved slightly more than the necessary so-called Chancellor majority of 369 votes in the Bundestag. 376 MPs voted for the 42-year-old, 278 against her. There were fourteen abstentions.
The General Equal Treatment Act prescribes a chancellor majority for the election of the “Independent Federal Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination”. This is the majority not only of those present, but of all 736 members of the Bundestag. The traffic light coalition has a total of 416 MPs, 47 more than would have been needed for the necessary majority. The election also took place without further debate, as required by law.
At the suggestion of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, the Federal Cabinet nominated Ataman for the post in June. Union, AfD and also individual representatives of the governing party FDP had sharply criticized the personnel. They deny Ataman’s suitability for the post, calling her a “left-wing activist” and accusing her of playing down “clan crime” and Islamism. Politicians from the SPD and the Greens had spoken of unfounded claims and a campaign against the publicist.
