(c) abudulla.saheem on Flickr
This was supposed to be the epitome of Multiculturalism in Germany, the so-called Generation M. A Germany which would be proud of his immigration. With less Schmidts and more Turkish, Tunisian or Ghanean names. But four months after flying to South Africa to congratulate her boys, German chancelor Angela Merkel has decided the German Mannschaft would not be a poster for Multiculturalism in her country.
As described in this interesting piece of The Economist, Merkel took a strong stance in the current debate about immigration saying the idea that immigrants can recreate their culture in Germany—has “utterly failed”. Obviously this is a very sensitive issue as it ineluctably leads to the question: can democracy and Islam co-exist as Turkish immigrants are quite directly targetted here ?
From someone who was lobotomised in the late 90′s with the idea of the “Génération Blacks-Blancs-Beurs”, symbolised by the 98 Word Cup French winning team and the likes of Thuram, Zidane and Fabien Barthez, only to wake up in 2005 with an array of riots in the suburbian areas, I have to credit Merkel for not taking the easy way out and sticking to the sometimes mistaking image of symbols in sports.
The German Mannschaft will still be an example of diversity, Mesut Özil will still shine with Real Madrid though he needs a new girlfriend but at least Merkel acknowledged Germany had a problem and that it needs to be addressed. Better than living in a fantasy world where the French elites basked in during the Jacques Chirac presidency.
