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EU needs more powers to fight racism, says German minister EU needs more powers to fight racism, says German minister
(12 days later)
Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, has told Jewish leaders that the EU needs better legal means to fight racism in member states.Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, has told Jewish leaders that the EU needs better legal means to fight racism in member states.
Speaking amid growing racism against Jews and Roma in Hungary, he told the World Jewish Congress (WJC) that the EU's legal options to curb violations of democratic norms were either as weak as toothpicks or as strong as bazookas.Speaking amid growing racism against Jews and Roma in Hungary, he told the World Jewish Congress (WJC) that the EU's legal options to curb violations of democratic norms were either as weak as toothpicks or as strong as bazookas.
"Between the toothpick and the big bazooka, there is not an instrument we can [use] if concerning developments start in a government or in a country," he told WJC leaders, who held their assembly in Budapest to highlight rising antisemitism."Between the toothpick and the big bazooka, there is not an instrument we can [use] if concerning developments start in a government or in a country," he told WJC leaders, who held their assembly in Budapest to highlight rising antisemitism.
"Tolerance is wise," he told the four-yearly assembly but "tolerance in the face of intolerance is historic foolishness"."Tolerance is wise," he told the four-yearly assembly but "tolerance in the face of intolerance is historic foolishness".
About half a million Hungarian Jews died in the Holocaust, the German mass murder of 6 million Jews during the second world war.About half a million Hungarian Jews died in the Holocaust, the German mass murder of 6 million Jews during the second world war.
Four EU members – Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands – have proposed the European commission should be able to take action when fundamental rights are violated, without having to go through the complicated steps that now exist for such cases.Four EU members – Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands – have proposed the European commission should be able to take action when fundamental rights are violated, without having to go through the complicated steps that now exist for such cases.
But the proposal, which Westerwelle said was supported by about three-quarters of all EU foreign ministers, names no countries causing concern and puts forward no concrete plans.But the proposal, which Westerwelle said was supported by about three-quarters of all EU foreign ministers, names no countries causing concern and puts forward no concrete plans.
Brussels has threatened to take legal action to overturn constitutional changes that limit the powers of Hungary's top court. The prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has also clashed with Brussels over legislation on the media and the central bank.Brussels has threatened to take legal action to overturn constitutional changes that limit the powers of Hungary's top court. The prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has also clashed with Brussels over legislation on the media and the central bank.
Westerwelle mentioned far-right Jobbik, which has 43 of 386 seats in parliament and whose leaders addressed several hundred nationalists at a protest in Budapest on Saturday.Westerwelle mentioned far-right Jobbik, which has 43 of 386 seats in parliament and whose leaders addressed several hundred nationalists at a protest in Budapest on Saturday.
Antisemitism had no place "in Berlin nor in Budapest nor anywhere else in Europe or in the world", he said.Antisemitism had no place "in Berlin nor in Budapest nor anywhere else in Europe or in the world", he said.
He spoke as Beate Zschäpe, the surviving member of a German neo-Nazi cell, went on trial in Munich for a series of racist murders that exposed the authorities' inability or reluctance to recognise rightwing hate crime.He spoke as Beate Zschäpe, the surviving member of a German neo-Nazi cell, went on trial in Munich for a series of racist murders that exposed the authorities' inability or reluctance to recognise rightwing hate crime.
His speech also came on the day that German authorities arrested a 93-year-old alleged former guard at the Nazi death camp Auschwitz on murder charges over the death of prisoners on his watch.His speech also came on the day that German authorities arrested a 93-year-old alleged former guard at the Nazi death camp Auschwitz on murder charges over the death of prisoners on his watch.
Prosecutors in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg said the man was believed to have worked at the camp between autumn 1941 and its liberation in 1945.Prosecutors in the south-western state of Baden-Württemberg said the man was believed to have worked at the camp between autumn 1941 and its liberation in 1945.
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