Hans-Georg Maassen, President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution arrives for a meeting of the parliamentary committee that oversees German intelligence agencies, in Berlin, Germany, September 12, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
September 17, 2018
BERLIN (Reuters) – The German government on Monday declined to comment on a report by newspaper Die Welt that Chancellor Angela Merkel has decided the domestic intelligence agency chief must go because she thinks he has meddled in day-to-day politics.
Hans-Georg Maassen, head of the BfV domestic intelligence agency, has come under fire after he cast doubt on the authenticity of video footage showing far-right protesters chasing migrants after the fatal stabbing of a German man.
The partners in Merkel’s ruling coalition are due to meet on Tuesday to discuss Maassen’s future. Merkel had said on Friday that her coalition government would survive the row over Maassen.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Paul Carrel)