April 18, 2016

Who's the clown in all this?

editor:	Gurmeet Singh

It's pretty easy to feel outraged by the whole Böhmermann situation - the comedian who will face trial for reading out an offensive poem about Turkish premier Erdogan. Indeed, Angela Merkel is being called "a traitor", "a supplicant" and even a "(self) race-hater" by people who can make connections between such disparate things.

I'm outraged by it too. I mean, look at this: A comedian, going to court, for insulting a foreign leader, the whole thing being conducted on the basis of an old, irrelevant law.

Well isn't that fine. I feel like if Yeats were here he'd lament the end of civilisation all over again. But Yeats isn't here, and I don't really think in terms of civilisation so here's a take:

Merkel has played this situation out as best as she could, the courts will let Böhmermann off, this law will be repealed and that will be that.

I mean, what to make of the strength of a nation which asks another nation to prosecute a satirist - especially a satirist who knew what he was doing was illegal. The courts will let Böhmermann off because it is right to do so, and they most probably will not base their judgement on a law now known to be irrelevant - the courts will also be conscious of the fact that prosecuting Böhmermann will probably lead to a battle with the European Court of Human Rights, since Böhmermann's rights will almost certainly be in violation.

Merkel allowed Böhmermann to face trial simply for the diplomatic benefit: She was probably aware the courts will let the comedian off - meanwhile, she can pay Erdogan lip-service, and keep the refugee deal underway - something many commentators feared would be off the table if Merkel refused to acquiesce.

So ultimately, the refugee deal stays intact, Böhmermann gets off, Merkel does Erdogan a solid - and so who's the clown?

Well, since the law gets a revision and an update, it leaves only one answer...