Germany halts its proposal to eliminate the term ‘race’ from the country’s constitution, as reported by the Rheinische Post newspaper. This decision follows concerns raised by Josef Schuster, the leader of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. He argued against removing the term ‘race,’ citing its significance as a reminder of the persecution and genocide of millions, particularly Jews, during the Nazi era.
Germany halts its Basic Law, established in 1949 as a safeguard against dictatorships like the Nazi regime. It includes a provision in paragraph three stating that individuals cannot be discriminated against based on various factors, including race.
After the global outcry over the killing of George Floyd in US police custody in 2020, discussions about systemic racism reignited. This prompted the Black Lives Matter movement. This traction led to the proposal to revise the constitution. fIn February 2021, the justice ministry proposed eliminating the term ‘race’ and replacing it with a more nuanced language. The aim is to distance the Basic Law from racial ideologies while maintaining anti-discrimination protections. However, finding an alternative term that offers the same legal safeguards proved challenging.
In their coalition agreement, the Social Democrats, Greens, and liberal FDP initially supported the proposal. However, despite extensive deliberation, they couldn’t reach a consensus on a suitable replacement ensuring equivalent legal protection. Subsequently, the opposition CDU-CSU conservative alliance approved the decision to abandon the plan. They argued that retaining the term ‘race’ in the constitution serves as a crucial historical marker, echoing the sentiments of the founders who deliberately included the term to reject the racist policies of the Nazi era.