- In their new party manifesto, conservatives say immigrants must accept Germany’s ‘guiding culture’ without any ifs or buts

- Party’s draft program emulates far-right’s rhetoric, says Muslims belong to country, only if they share Germany’s values

BERLIN

Germany’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has drawn sharp criticism on Tuesday over its new draft party program, which included controversial provisions about Muslims and immigrants.

In their 71-page program, the conservatives adopted a harsher rhetoric about immigration, advocated fostering a dominant German culture, and argued that all immigrants must embrace this guiding culture.

“All those who want to live here must accept our guiding culture (Leitkultur) without ifs and buts,” the party said in its new manifesto, and argued that only those immigrants, who are committed to this culture, could become citizens of the country.

It also argued that Muslims would belong to the country, only if they share Germany’s values, without specifying what those values are.

The new basic program was in stark contrast to the previous party line which was shaped by former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was an advocate of democratic rights, cultural diversity and a plural society.

Ruprecht Polenz, a former conservative lawmaker, has sharply criticized the CDU’s new manifesto and said it is not up to the politicians to decide who belongs to Germany or not.

“Anyone who has a German passport belongs to Germany. Period,” he said on social media and underlined that the German constitution defines basic rights and responsibilities.

“The religions practiced in Germany belong to Germany. All of them. The secular state guarantees coexistence with different religions and values,” he stressed.

Aiman Mazyek, chairman of the Central Council of Muslims, said the CDU was echoing ideas and narratives of the far-right AfD party.

But he warned that this strategy would not bring more votes to the CDU, and on the contrary, further strengthen the far-right party.

"Experience shows that voters will ultimately choose the original,” he told local media.

Turkish-Muslim group IGMG also voiced concern over the party’s new draft program and said it would reinforce negative stereotypes and generalizations about Muslims.

“The CDU claims that it wants to enhance social unity, but it is undermining this itself by fueling and nurturing prejudices and fears against Muslims,” the group’s secretary general Ali Mete said in a statement.

He called on party leaders to review the draft and make substantial changes to the paragraphs about Muslims and immigrants.

The CDU, which is currently the country's main opposition, is planning to carry out discussions in the coming weeks and finalize the basic program at its party conference in May 2024.

With a population of over 84 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Among the country’s nearly 6 million Muslims, 3 million are of Turkish origin.