Federal Education Minister Stark-Watzinger is questioned by members of the Bundestag’s Education Committee in the funding scandal. They are not satisfied afterwards.
Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger has once again rejected questions about her resignation in connection with the funding scandal. “I see no reason to do so,” said the FDP politician in the Bundestag’s Education Committee in response to a corresponding question from MP Ali Al-Dailami from the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).
The minister was asked to attend the committee meeting to answer open questions about whether and how she was involved in events in her department in connection with a letter of protest from Berlin lecturers who had criticized the clearing of a pro-Palestinian camp at the Free University of Berlin.
Stark-Watzinger maintains criticism of open letter
Stark-Watzinger had criticized the letter from the university professors and continues to criticize it because, in her opinion, the letter one-sidedly ignores the terror of Hamas. Later, emails from her ministry were made public which revealed that someone at a high level in the ministry had asked for an investigation into whether the ministry could cut funding to the letter writers as a consequence.
According to the House, the idea was quickly discarded. After the matter became public, Stark-Watzinger separated from a state secretary who had ordered the investigation. She herself had not given the order and had not wanted it.
Funding not based on political ideology
Such an examination would contradict the principles of academic freedom, Stark-Watzinger told the committee. Funding would not be awarded based on political ideology.
The FDP politician again defended her criticism of the content of the letter: It was an opinion piece, which she had contradicted and countered with a different opinion. “An opinion has no right to approval.”
Minister: I only became aware of the list of names after 11 June
The debate also concerns the question of whether the minister was involved in compiling a list of those signatories of the letter who have a connection to the ministry, for example through funding, before the aforementioned audit was commissioned. This overview was not commissioned by her and was compiled at the specialist level and remained there, said Stark-Watzinger.
She herself only became aware of it after June 11. According to her statement, this also applies to the email with the audit order. Opposition politicians doubt that the minister was not involved in these processes. CDU MP Thomas Jarzombek also accused Stark-Watzinger in the committee meeting of not answering questions he had asked.
Source: Stern
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