Merkel sees the suspension of Trump's social media accounts as "problematic"

Angela Merkel and German Government spokesman Steffen Seibert after a press conference in Berlin last November.KAY NIETFELD / AFP

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who clearly criticized Donald Trump last Thursday for encouraging his followers to storm the Capitol, considers the suspension of the US president's social media accounts "problematic."

This Monday, during a routine press conference held in Berlin, the Chancellor's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, referred to the Twitter veto of the US president pointing out that “the correct thing” would be for the State, and in particular Parliament, to establish “ a framework ”to regulate the use of social networks.

The operators of these companies, he added, "have a great responsibility to ensure that political communication is not poisoned by hatred, lies or incitement to violence," he said.

But, the spokesperson stressed, the right to freedom of opinion is fundamental.

"Therefore, interventions can only take place according to the law and within the framework defined by the legislator, and not according to the decision of the management of the social media platforms," ​​said Seibert.

"For this reason, Chancellor Angela Merkel considers it problematic that the accounts of the president of the United States have been permanently blocked."

Twitter, which vetoed Trump last Friday for the "risk of further incitement to violence" as a result of the takeover of Congress, has been the preferred channel of communication for the president of the United States to announce his most important decisions and insult his rivals, through the now permanently blocked account @realDonaldTrump.

In a memo that circulated through White House reporters, the leader accused Twitter late Friday of conspiring with Democrats to silence him and his supporters.

The White House, through the official government account, charged against the decision, considering that it limits the freedom of expression enshrined in the First Amendment.

Shares in the company that Jack Dorsey runs fell 3% after the announcement.

Last Thursday, the chancellor blamed Trump for the violent incidents the day before on Capitol Hill.

In the framework of a virtual political meeting with the Christian Social Union (CSU), the small Bavarian party twinned with Merkel's party, the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the chancellor lamented the "disturbing" images of the assault on the Capitol, she said she felt "angry and sad" and blamed the outgoing president for having contributed to creating an atmosphere conducive to such incidents.

"President Trump has sadly not acknowledged his defeat since November, nor yesterday, and that has naturally created an atmosphere that makes violent incidents possible."