German politicians attacked during election campaign

Francisca Giffey was attacked from behind with a bag containing a hard object. Photo: Ebrahim Norouzi/AP

Germany is struggling with an alarming phenomenon. wave of violence against politicians after three lawmakers were attacked while campaigning.

On Tuesday evening, Franziska Giffey, a senator from Olaf Scholz's center-left SDP party, was attacked from behind with a bag containing a hard object.

She was hospitalized after suffering head and neck injuries.

The attack came just days after the brutal attack on SDP MEP Matthias Ecke, who was attacked by four men while he was putting up election signs posters in Dresden.

Mr Ecke was left with a broken cheekbone and eye socket injuries that required surgery over the weekend.

In a social media post showing bruises and stitches on his face, the MEP wrote: “In a democracy no one should be obliged to be afraid to express their opinion.”

Matthias Ecke, an SPD MEP, was left with a broken cheekbone and injuries to his eye socket. Photo: Matthias Rietschel/REUTERS

Also on Tuesday, Green Party politician Yvonne Mosler was harassed and allegedly spat on while she was putting up campaign materials for the European elections in June.

This week, all German states held a special meeting to discuss growth violence against politicians. Home Secretary Nancy Father has vowed to strengthen assault laws to «more severely punish anti-democratic acts.»

Politically active people 'exposed to culture of fair play'

A February report from the German parliament said there were 2,790 attacks on politicians in 2023, with more than a thousand of them targeting the Greens.

G- Ms Giffey said she was shocked by the attack but otherwise «everything is fine» as she denounced «a culture of fair play in which politically active people involved in the life of our country are increasingly subject to supposedly justified and acceptable attacks.» /p >

German police said they had identified Ms Giffey's attacker but did not provide further details.

Officers also arrested four suspected far-right extremists aged between 17 and 18 in connection with the attack on Mr Ecke last week.

DANKE! ❤️
I want to be grateful for your help in struggle and solidarity. Das Tut Wirklich Gut und Gibt Kraft. Es geht hier aber nicht nur um mich, sondern um alle, die sich aus Leidenschaft politisch engagieren. Niemand Soll in einer Demokratie fürchten müssen seine Meinung zu sagen! pic.twitter.com/nt8HHyZhh3

— Matthias Ecke 🇪🇺 🌹 (@MattEcke) May 6, 2024

Mr Scholz, the chancellor, said last week that attacks on politicians endanger German democracy , amid fears that tensions are rising in the country ahead of June elections.

“Actions like this threaten democracy, we must never accept such acts of violence… we must confront them together,” Mr Scholz said . .