Merz warns Muslims: Respect the secularism of German universities
In light of events organized by Muslim student groups at several German universities, which witnessed calls for the separation of men and women during activities, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sparked a wave of discussion about the role of religion on campus. At Kiel University, an event was organized by the "Islamic University Group" that called for men and women to enter through separate doors and sit separately. At Charité University in Berlin, there was also a separation of genders during a lecture for Muslim female students, prompting the university administration to open an investigation into a potential violation of its principles regarding gender equality.
During his visit to the Medical School at the University of Hanover, Merz stated that those coming from the Islamic world to study in Germany are welcome, but they must respect the fundamental values of German society. He explained: "We are a secular state, and we clearly separate state and religion. In our universities, values of openness, freedom, and tolerance, including religious tolerance, must prevail." He added: "This is what we expect from everyone studying here, especially those belonging to different cultures and religions. We will ensure that these values are enforced when necessary."
Despite Merz's assertion of the secular nature of the state, Germany is not fully secular like France. The German constitution, based on the provisions of the Weimar Constitution of 1919, stipulates the neutrality of the state towards religions, but grants religious groups, whether Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, rights to manage their internal affairs.
These groups are allowed to determine religious education curricula and manage theological colleges, and they have the right to own property and organize themselves legally, which grants them advantages such as collecting taxes from their members and tax exemptions. However, Muslims in Germany face difficulties in obtaining this legal status due to the absence of an institutional organization similar to churches, forcing them to operate through alternative advisory councils.
Cooperation between the state and religious communities includes areas such as spiritual care in the military, prisons, and hospitals, which are regulated by special agreements between the states and the churches or relevant religious communities. Despite this organized relationship between the state and religion, Germany is not a secular state in the strict French sense, but adopts a mixed model that seeks to reconcile religious neutrality with institutional cooperation with religious communities.