German Green Party Leader Defends Colleague Amidst Controversy

Franziska Brantner, the federal chairwoman of Alliance 90/The Greens, defended party colleague Claudia Roth against accusations of historical revisionism and downplaying antisemitism. During a press conference on November 9th, Brantner stated that Roth had been unfairly compared to historical revisionists, emphasizing Roth's lifelong commitment to confronting German history and responsibility. Brantner asserted that the accusations against Roth were unfounded.

Roth's controversial statements were made on the podcast "Jung & Naiv," where she discussed foreign friends urging her to "free herself from the guilt of history" and to "deal with it differently." She also referenced the 2024 Berlinale film festival's closing gala, where accusations of apartheid and genocide against Israel were made. Roth admitted it was a mistake to criticize those who made such accusations, though she maintained she never justified the events in Gaza. She later retracted her criticism of the director and a Palestinian speaker for their remarks.

Brantner acknowledged that the issue had deeply troubled her and was discussed by the party's federal board. She had previously declined to answer a press inquiry from "Jüdische Allgemeine" about the matter, referring instead to Roth's own statement defending herself. Roth herself had called the accusations against her "absolutely unacceptable" but offered no further clarification.

While Brantner stopped short of fully distancing herself from Roth, she stressed that one cannot simply draw a line under the Holocaust. Instead, she emphasized the importance of international law, human rights, and Israel's right to exist as lessons from history for the Greens. Brantner also highlighted the significant role of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, particularly in the "land of the Shoah," respecting their voice in important debates.

Roth had previously criticized the Central Council of Jews, accusing them of exerting "unfathomable pressure" and of orchestrating her being "deliberately and campaign-like booed" at the Jewrovision music festival in 2023. She also agreed with the interviewer's suggestion that the definition of antisemitism is being used to silence critics of Israel.

Brantner's statement was the first from the party leadership regarding Roth's extensive interview. A letter from party members, including former officials, expressed "deep irritation" over Roth's remarks, accusing her of fueling "secondary antisemitism." The letter argued that viewing the memory of the Holocaust as a burden and Jewish perspectives as inconvenient aligns with antisemitic tropes of Jewish influence. Brantner did not directly address the signatories' demand for the party leadership to publicly contradict Roth's statements, instead referring to existing party resolutions and the party's internal discussion processes.