steinmeier has been in office for just over a year and helps launch chancellor angela merkel's new grand coalition government in his t.v. interview he called for a more decisive rejection of anti-semitism. you wouldn't whether the jews christians or muslims were believers or nonbelievers whether they have lived here for years all of just arrived all want to make a home in germany in that movie possibly from to some ism spreads here because in the end it destroys that home for everyone and. steinmeier also delivered a putdown to the state premier of bavaria who recently instructed all but there in state offices to display a crucifix the president may be a committed christian but he clearly had little time for such a blurring of the line between church and state. if people don't go to church on sundays putting crucifixes in government offices isn't going to make them religious . stand my own that democracy must be nurtured if it is to be preserved it's clear that the fight against populism is to be the theme of his second year in office. which is i believe the task of the federal president

steinmeier also delivered a putdown to the state premier of the varia who recently instructed all but there in state offices to display a crucifix the president may be a committed christian but he clearly had little time for such a blurring of the line between church and state. if people don't go to church on sundays putting crucifixes in government offices isn't going to make them religious that simple. warned that democracy must be nurtured if it is to be preserved it's clear that the fight against populism is to be the theme of his second year in office. which is what i believe the task of the federal president is to warn that as the world becomes more complex as these problems become more complex the answers become more simple. the rule of law may operate in germany said steinmeyer but freedom and democracy are not guaranteed the ballot count is underway in lebanon after voting in parliamentary elections and in a few hours ago it's the first election held under a new lot meant to give smaller parties a chance but observers expect the race to come down to the western backed prime m

and welcome to the program and a high profile televised interview german president frank walter steinmeier has spoken out strongly against religious intolerance in the country after a series of anti-semitic attacks in recent weeks he also criticize. a new ordinance in the southern state of bavaria which requires crosses to be displayed in all state government buildings the new law has caused an uproar that all with some catholic officials arguing it politicizes a sacred christian symbol of the various state premier marcus has rekindled a dispute about religion and patriotism by requiring the various state premises to display the christian crucifix as president of the federal republic frank was that doesn't get involved in day to day politics but as a committed christian he believes religion and its symbols are a matter for the church not the state. that if people don't go to church on sundays putting crucifixes in government offices isn't going to make them religious that. man has been in office for just over a year and helped launch chancellor angela merkel's new grand coalition governmen

given a television interview calling for a decisive rejection of religious intolerance frank walter steinmeier responded to a recent spate of anti-semitic attacks by emphasizing that intolerance destroys the sense of home for all who want to make a life in germany also coming.

show you a quote from the german president that he gave over the weekend and steinmeier and he said i'm really concerned about the development of the transatlantic relationship not because i'm looking at a president with some irritating twitter messages. because a substantial change is now going on and there is a new american administration that no longer seems as parts of the global community where we act together but it sees the world basically as an arena where everyone has to somehow find their own. way i mean that is that's a really really hard indictment that germany is making on the united states and would you would you say that is telling the truth. well i do think that we're in a a very challenging phase there are definitely some people. who believe exactly what president signed myers saying in terms of that being the attitude of of this administration. and yet i certainly felt that during the visit by chance remarkable she was really trying to make the case for being partners and if you think back to. last may when she returned from the united states she started using rhetoric