3 ms·

I would have had great respect if Merkel had taken a stand on this issue. Regardless of letting the supposedly trustworthy courts of Germany decide on this, thi

I would have had great respect if Merkel had taken a stand on this issue. Regardless of letting the supposedly trustworthy courts of Germany decide on this, this would have been an excellent opportunity to show the world what European values are all about. It comes over as political cowardliness, but this seems to be the norm now more than ever.

intrasight 11y ago
Merkel is very pragmatic - hence her long tenure in office. This would have been an excellent opportunity to show the world what European values are all about except for the fact the Europe is currently beholden to Turkey to address the migration crisis.
- jayess 11y ago
  I'm not sure what European values even are. Europe used to be the land of the enlightenment. That seems to have regressed substantially lately.
  - elcapitan 11y ago
    If I remember it correctly, Europe never was a "land".
- vidarh 11y ago
  "European values" does not include having the executive stand in the way of putting a case in front of the judiciary. It's a bad law, but having the executive exercise its option to not consent would have been worse.
Spearchucker 11y ago
This isn't about values. This is about negotiation. Merkel wants Turkey to retain migrants to Europe, and even divert them elsewhere, so she has to concede somewhere. I believe there were other bargaining points too, something about Turkey's EU membership.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
bayesian_horse 11y ago
Rule of Law and independence of the judiciary are also important European values. Which are also under attack in Hungary and Poland. Germany would have forfeited the high ground in those issues if the government interfered with a prosecution, even if legally possible.
tobltobs 11y ago
I would have hated it if Merkel ignored the separation of power in Germany. And also it will be extremely funny if the details of the Schmähgedicht are discussed in a german court.

intrasight 11y ago

Merkel is very pragmatic - hence her long tenure in office. This would have been an excellent opportunity to show the world what European values are all about except for the fact the Europe is currently beholden to Turkey to address the migration crisis.

jayess 11y ago
I'm not sure what European values even are. Europe used to be the land of the enlightenment. That seems to have regressed substantially lately.
- elcapitan 11y ago
  If I remember it correctly, Europe never was a "land".
vidarh 11y ago
"European values" does not include having the executive stand in the way of putting a case in front of the judiciary. It's a bad law, but having the executive exercise its option to not consent would have been worse.

Spearchucker 11y ago

This isn't about values. This is about negotiation. Merkel wants Turkey to retain migrants to Europe, and even divert them elsewhere, so she has to concede somewhere. I believe there were other bargaining points too, something about Turkey's EU membership.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

bayesian_horse 11y ago

Rule of Law and independence of the judiciary are also important European values. Which are also under attack in Hungary and Poland. Germany would have forfeited the high ground in those issues if the government interfered with a prosecution, even if legally possible.

tobltobs 11y ago

I would have hated it if Merkel ignored the separation of power in Germany. And also it will be extremely funny if the details of the Schmähgedicht are discussed in a german court.