Angela Merkel’s main opponent in German elections is hot-headed, left-wing son of a Nazi
Political bruiser Sigmar Gabriel is known to stick his middle finger up at hecklers that mention his racist dad
THE HOT headed but charismatic son of a Nazi is Angela Merkel’s main opponent in the German elections.
Political bruiser Sigmar Gabriel is known to stick his middle finger up at hecklers that mention his racist dad and often gets into furious arguments with critics on television.
A fiery left winger, he was nicknamed "Siggi Pop" when he was made special envoy for pop culture earlier in his career.
It was not until he was 18 that he found out that his civil service worker father Walter Gabriel was an unrepentant Nazi who read a far-right newspaper and questioned if the Holocaust really happened.
Sigmar’s parents separated when he was aged three and fought a seven year custody battle over him.
He stayed with his dad and grandmother until 1969, when he moved in with his nurse mum, and says his father – who died aged 91 in 2012- would regularly beat him.
When he learnt of his dad’s vile political views he cut off contact for 20 years and says his childhood in the Lower Saxony region of Germany left him with “an almost uncontrollable rage.”
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A former teacher with two children from two marriages, he channelled this aggression to become chairman of the Social Democratic party in 2009 and his quick temper and combative style sets him in stark contrast to his ice-cool rival, Merkel, 62.
Sigmar is currently the chancellor’s junior coalition partner after forming a government with her Christian Democrats, but as the refugee crisis worsens he has been making efforts to distance himself from them.
All of the various political groups in Germany have been losing voters to the anti-immigration, Alternative for Germany party.
And political reporter Stefan Wagstyl wrote in the Financial Times yesterday: “The chancellor has been weakened by the refugee crisis. But, for all his bluster, Mr Gabriel is weaker still.”