He served 11 years in the German parliament (Bundestag), was the first African-born member of parliament in Germany, and is now leaving politics. Karamba Diaby of the Social Democrats confirmed that he would step down “after months of reflection and discussion.” In addition to citing his family as a reason for his decision, Diaby cited death threats and racist attacks he has suffered. “You can’t just ignore it and say it’s not happening,” he told the publication Editorial Network Germany.
In 2013, Karamba Diaby made history by becoming a member of parliament for the Social Democrats. I have always said that I will not be intimidated by threats because I am convinced that the majority in the country is democratic and defends tolerance and diversity. However, given the rise of the far right in Germany and the rest of Europe, he warns that we need to be careful about the hate speech and slurs against minorities that some people use.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been in the country’s parliament since 2017. According to Karamba Diaby, the situation in the Bundestag has become more “brutal” since the party’s arrival.
“It is part of democracy that we criticize each other, and the opposition in particular criticizes the government, but if the party’s business model is to constantly incite hatred against minorities, that is a new dynamic in the Bundestag – no, that was the case before 2017,” he said.
Although Karamba Diaby suggests he will not run in next year’s federal elections, he admits he will not stop working.
“I still don’t know where my path will take me. When the next legislative elections are held, I will be approaching my 64th birthday. Until then, I will think about what I want to do after receiving the mandate,” he concluded.