In the end, the mistrust of Hans-Georg Maaßen was too great: He is replaced as President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. This was announced by the Federal Government following deliberations by the heads of the CDU, SPD and CSU in the Chancellery.
Maaßen had come under great political and public pressure because of controversial statements on xenophobic riots in Chemnitz. Now he changes to State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
Details of the matter will be announced on Wednesday. About the successor to the head of the constitution protection was initially communicated nothing.
In the Ministry of the Interior, Maaßen should not be responsible for the supervision of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, although Interior Minister Horst Seehofer "appreciate his expertise in public security issues". For Maassen, the change even represents a promotion to a higher grade.
The case had thrown the grand coalition into a serious crisis. The SPD demanded the dismissal of Maaßens, because it no longer trusted him to protect the democracy energetically enough against right attacks. CSU boss Seehofer publicly expressed his confidence. If Seehofer, Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) and SPD leader Andrea Nahles had not agreed, a coalition break would have been conceivable.
Now the coalition is saved for the time being.