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Journalist Ferda Ataman (2020): Should fill the long vacant post of anti-discrimination officer
Photo:
M. Popow / imago images/Metodi Popow
The publicist Ferda Ataman, proposed by the cabinet for the office of anti-discrimination officer, met with members of the FDP after severe criticism of her appointment.
“Ms. Ataman introduced herself to the parliamentary group today.
It was an open and constructive exchange, which will of course flow into the decision-making process," said a parliamentary group spokeswoman for the dpa news agency on request.
Previously, there had been criticism of the personnel proposal from the ranks of the Liberals, which the Ministry of Family Affairs had informed about last Wednesday.
For example, the FDP MP Linda Teuteberg tweeted last Wednesday: "A proposal to the German Bundestag that I cannot vote for."
Ataman is to take over the leadership of the federal anti-discrimination agency, which has been vacant for more than four years.
The Bundestag still has to vote on the corresponding proposal from the Federal Cabinet.
When exactly is still open.
The spokeswoman for the FDP parliamentary group emphasized that the exchange with Ataman was "the usual procedure" when it came to positions such as military, data protection or anti-discrimination officers.
Earlier tweets "deleted for reasons of neutrality"
Ataman worked in public service, including in the Ministry for Intergenerational Affairs, Family, Women and Integration in North Rhine-Westphalia and as head of department at the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency.
She then set up the integration media service, a scientific information platform for journalists, and worked as an author, journalist and columnist.
She wrote the »Heimatkunde« column for SPIEGEL until 2020 (you can find an overview of her texts here).
Most recently, she founded a consulting company for diversity.
In addition to Teuteberg, politicians from the Union and celebrities such as Islamism expert Ahmad Mansour had criticized Ataman last week and questioned her suitability for the position.
After her appeal last Wednesday, she also deleted previous tweets that might have made her vulnerable - which caused further displeasure on the Internet.
She herself told the dpa that she had "deleted private tweets from her account for reasons of neutrality".
They are still available on the Internet, just like her other publications.
sak/dpa