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She is close to the CDU and was under discussion as Minister of State for Integration after the previous federal election.

When it comes to the issue of the quota of migrants, however, journalist and human rights activist Düzen Tekkal emphatically contradicts her party.

The 42-year-old is the daughter of Kurdish-Yazidi immigrants.

WORLD:

Ms. Tekkal, Berlin is the first federal state to discuss a migrant quota.

People with a migration background should be given preference in the allocation of positions in the public service if they are equally qualified - up to their actual share in the population of 35 percent.

What do you think?

Düzen Tekkal:

As a tool, quota is always the last resort.

It would of course be more pleasant without it.

In reality, it is unfortunately the case that the migrant part of this urban society is not yet sufficiently reflected in the administrative structures.

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In the discussion it is often said that competence should decide, not quota.

That is right as well.

But many people do not even get in the position to show what they can do.

We can only crack these structures through quotas.

WORLD:

So basically there is no difference between a migrant quota and a women's quota?

Tekkal:

Right.

It comes down to the same thing: It's about adequately mapping the cross-section of society.

It is important, however, that this is not a hard quota, but a soft one.

The migration background should be defined as a positive attitude characteristic, similar to that of women and the severely disabled.

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It is not about lifting people into positions who are not competent, but rather that everyone is considered equally.

We throw diversity around as a catchphrase, but it is far from being implemented.

This creates frustration.

WORLD:

Doesn't the public service have to fill in non-discriminatory positions anyway?

Tekkal:

By law, of course, he has to.

But in fact we only have twelve percent migrants in the administrative structures in Berlin.

With the police it is higher, at 38 percent.

Everyone benefits from this.

If a criminal with an immigrant background meets a police officer with an immigrant background, the argument that he is discriminated against and that the whole system is allegedly racist is no longer valid.

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The guidelines do not run along religion and origin.

It is a question of values ​​where these officials stand.

Ultimately, society as a whole benefits from this.

WORLD:

Left and Greens are in favor of the migrant quota, the SPD apparently still has concerns.

The CDU, with which you are close, is against it.

Right?

Tekkal:

The fear of ideologizing the topic is of course real.

But I don't think that one can be against structures that represent the cross-section of society.

The bourgeois parties have to think about how to keep up.

I firmly believe that those who do not open up to these questions are at a competitive disadvantage.

I am not in favor of coercion or the hard quota.

But pure lip service has so far brought nothing.

It's very simple: I don't want to be preferred because I have a migration background.

But I don't want to be disadvantaged either.

It's about a fair system.

WORLD:

Have you ever got a job because you have a migration background?

Tekkal:

Yes, I got my first job as an editor at RTL because of my immigration history.

I was told that very clearly.

And I was grateful for it because I could show what I could do.

As a result, I brought a completely different world into the job.

The stories I made had a different gravitas because I know the culture inside out.

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I suggested topics that the editors took to their heads to make sure that this really exists in Germany: Forced marriage among men, homosexuality in Islam, honor killings among Yazidis.

In the end I was able to teach my superiors something and they taught me.

We both benefited.

WORLD:

Did you find it a flaw to have been placed on the migrant ticket?

Tekkal:

No, I used that.

Of course there were also some prejudices.

But I didn't suffocate in pain because of it.

For me that was always a driving force.

That is why it is so important that we look precisely at the young male migrants whose hearts are not exactly flying.

There is a risk that they will turn away and turn against society.

But we cannot afford a single person to show us the red card.

It's about getting people involved.

We benefit when people have both feet firmly on the ground of the Basic Law.

WORLD:

You say of yourself that you are German and Kurdish Yazidis.

Have you ever had to decide which identity prevails?

Tekkal:

I never myself.

But I've seen others want to decide that.

Or that I was reduced to my roots and that I was denied being German.

It must become much more natural that being German can have different faces and should not be questioned.

WORLD:

Is it discrimination if you are repeatedly asked about your migration background in everyday life?

Tekkal:

No.

Not at all.

I've always seen that as an interest.

And I also love to play with it.

Maybe my résumé as a social entrepreneur wasn't intended for me because I didn't go from the tenth to the eleventh floor, but came out of the basement.

But my resilience muscle is very strong.

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By the way, this gives us higher education advantages over the rich kids.

My approach is to enable opportunities and empower young people.

WELT:

You are talking about your #GermanDream education initiative, which is about spreading success stories from people with a migration background in Germany - such as Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci from Biontech.

What does that do?

Tekkal:

It does everything!

The narrative of migrants as a danger is still used too often.

And of course we have not yet reached our goal if we have to overemphasize that Sahin and Türeci have migrant roots.

But how many successful migration stories are there that just aren't exposed because we're always focused on the problems?

We need such role models and role models.

And if someone sits in the administration who looks like Ahmed and has the same roots as the citizen who seeks advice from him, then that makes a difference.

The research couple behind the vaccine the world is talking about

The couple Özlem Türeci and Ugur Sahin is currently making headlines around the world.

Their careers are also storybook stories of successful integration.

In 2008 they founded the company Biontech in Mainz, then the IPO followed - and finally the pandemic.

Source: WORLD / Fanny Juschten