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Shaping the German foreign policy (and human rights) debate: actors, influencers and agendas in Berlin opposition parties, the public might never have learned about the Ministry of the Interior’s cooperation with the Egyptian intelligence service. The Committee for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid is the parliamentary body in charge of human rights issues. Its role is strengthened whenever parliamentary groups appoint members to it who use it as a platform for worldwide human rights protection. However, parliamentary activities concerning foreign policy predominantly involve the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Defence Committee and the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, which means their respective members and, in particular, the Chairs of the Committees are also crucial points of contact when it comes to human rights issues – bearing in mind that there is always a danger of these issues being foisted on the Human Rights Committee. Non-state actors However, human rights policy is not decided exclusively by the federal government or parliament. Civil society and the media can also influence the role human rights play in Germany’s foreign policy. Especially notable in this regard are human rights organizations, which raise issues and build up public pressure, either individually or by forming national or international coalitions, depending on which route is most likely to lead to success. Forum Menschenrechte, an umbrella organization of numerous German human rights organizations, plays a particularly important part. Individual NGOs often form short-term alliances to work on a specific issue. And then there is the German Institute for Human Rights, which is an independent national human rights body serving as a bridge between government and civil society. The CAUSE coalition is one example of how alliances can be successful, in its case even more so because the issue was about the implementation of an agreement which had already been signed by Germany. However, such coalitions can also experience a great deal of resistance, as the experience of those seeking to promote the international guidelines for protecting schools demonstrates. The influence of the media on human rights policy is not clear-cut and therefore difficult to substantiate. Critical articles, for example about the German Interior Ministry’s collaboration with the Egyptian intelligence service, as well as commentaries about Germany’s role in protecting schools during armed conflicts or indeed reports about the fate of Leyla Yunus, do raise public awareness and will get noticed by policymakers. And statements 88 Shifting Power and Human Rights Diplomacy | Germany
Shaping the German foreign policy (and human rights) debate: actors, influencers and agendas in Berlin by government representatives or members of parliament – like the President of the Bundestag refusing to meet with Al-Sisi – generate publicity if picked up by the media. In addition, political think tanks such as the German Institute for International and Security Affairs 4 as well as the German Council on Foreign Relations 5 advice the government and parliamentarians on foreign policy issues. They are complemented by political foundations which give expertise to their parties’ foreign policy and human rights experts. On Egypt, researchers from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs sharply criticized the government’s approach; on the Safe School Declaration, the institute acted as a facilitator for discussions (Brozus & Roll 2015). Which direction? New actors? In March 2015, in a speech given before the US think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, German Foreign Minister Steinmeier talked about Germany’s future foreign policy responsibility. He stressed the German government’s ambition of becoming “Chief Facilitating Officer” in Europe, and taking on the role of an honest broker (Federal Foreign Office 2015). In September 2015, German Chancellor Merkel and her Austrian counterpart Werner Faymann decided to open their countries’ borders to refugees, sending – unfortunately only for a few months – a strong signal in favour of policy measures that prioritize the protection of the rights of refugees (Deutsche Welle 2015). What role can we legitimately see Germany’s foreign policy actors playing: one of human rights champion or “Chief Facilitating Officer”? Is it possible for German foreign policy actors to champion human rights without at the same time losing sight of the powerpolitical pitfalls of the international policy arena? The Federal Government should clearly meet its obligations under international human rights treaties. At the same time, this is also about recognizing that consistent human rights policies are in the country’s own interest. Systematic and widespread human rights violations are often the precursor to serious violence, uprisings and civil wars. Where there is torture, forcible displacement and enforced disappearance, opposition usually follows. Violence, discrimination, a lack of jobs and food shortages are known causes of refugee movements. Countries that focus on the human rights situation in different parts 4 German Institute for International and Security Affairs. Available at: http://www.swp-berlin.org/en/start-en.html. 5 German Council on Foreign Relations. Available at: https://dgap.org/. Shifting Power and Human Rights Diplomacy | Germany 89
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Katrin Kinzelbach is Associate Dire
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Introduction A sense of historical
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Introduction When in 2005 Angela Me
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Introduction What do these reflecti
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German foreign policy and human rig
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From normalcy to hegemony to impote
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