Half of all left-wing deputies want to give Benedict XVI's speech to the Bundestag. stay away. Listening to the Pope wants Bodo Ramelow. Why – and why he understands his party colleagues at the same time, explains the former religion policy spokesman of his party in our site interview.
Interviewer: What do you think of this action by parts of your party??
Ramelow: This is not an action. This is simply a clarification and a clear statement: that there will be no protest actions in parliament, so there will be no negative situations here. Quite the opposite. I myself will be listening to the Pope's speech in the gallery, together with the representative of Germany's liberal Jews and the Central Council of Muslims. And we will have a reception before that by our parliamentary group leader Gregor Gysi. And I think it's fair and right that those in my parliamentary group who say they have no inner relationship to the faith or to the papacy, that those who say: we will then also not participate in the meeting. I think it is up to everyone – and not a compulsory event, but those who are also there from the inner heart will listen. And those who have problems with, for example, the Vatican's sexual harassment, will do what is their right, they will demonstrate at another place in Berlin.
Interviewer: A main concern of the critics is it yes that church and/or. Church representatives in the Bundestag have no business – that religion and politics should not mix. A justified criticism?
Ramelow: I would have preferred it, than the invitation to Benedict XVI. was pronounced, officially to the representative of the Vatican state, one could have invited the Dalai Lama as well. He was also a religious and state leader at the time. That would have been a courageous gesture on the part of the German Bundestag. But unfortunately one then only made a decision for the Holy Father. I think the invitation has been extended, the trampling today I find a bit difficult, this also takes place in the SPD. There are critics even among the Greens. Nevertheless, I have promoted it from the beginning: If one extends an invitation, including this invitation, then one must follow it afterwards with courtesy. I myself was with Benedict XVI as a representative of the German Bundestag. to an audience. There the church and religion-political speakers of the Bundestag were together there. For me as an evangelical Christian, this was an exciting event. And frankly, I'm also looking forward to Benedict XVI's. in the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt to my Protestant church. I still hope that something will get going in the direction of ecumenism.
Interviewer: You just mentioned the Dalai Lama. Do you think that parts of their party would also stay away from a speech by him?
Ramelow: I don't know which parts of the Bundestag would have been absent then. I would have found it exciting in any case. And it would be an equal measure that a religious leader, who is also head of state, can also speak out in a parliament. I also think there are ethical ies that are worth being in conversation with each other about.
Interviewer: Is the reaction of parts of your party regarding the Pope's visit also a sign that you, as the successor party of the SED, have not yet arrived in the present??
Ramelow: Honestly, I find the focus on the Bundestag faction of the Left a bit weird, because it was in the SPD the AG Laizismus that wanted to be admitted. And there came from the SPD the clear refusal that the pope should be uninvited nevertheless please again. I hear similar tones from the Green Party, where Volker Beck has made a clear statement. It seems to be not only the voices of the left after all. And: No, it's not the East Germans, it's also mainly West Germans from the Bundestag faction, they really have nothing to do with the SED.
The interview was conducted by Monika Weib.