NSA-Affäre: SPD-Chef Gabriel rüffelt Merkel-Vertrauten Pofalla - SPIEGEL ONLINE

NSA-Affäre: SPD-Chef Gabriel rüffelt Merkel-Vertrauten Pofalla - SPIEGEL ONLINE


The NSA affair loaded coalition talks: SPD Chief Gabriel indirectly criticized the Chancellor's Office Pofalla because he had explained the issue in the summer to be over. Now the SPD wants to make civil rights a focus of negotiations with the Union.

Berlin - With regard to the recent revelations of the NSA affair SPD boss Sigmar Gabriel indirect criticism of the Chancellor's Office Ronald Pofalla practiced. "Of course it's outrageous that an American intelligence listens the phone to German Chancellor," Gabriel told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "I remember, but still very well, as part of the policy and also the way the media have for 'finished' says time not too long ago, the NSA affair., We must not repeat that mistake."

Without him to name them, for the first time since engaged the federal election , a leading Social Democrat, the acting Pofallas into focus. The Chancellor's Office chief had in August, the NSA affair with the words, whether the allegations against the U.S. Secret Service from the table, declared over . Pofallas then estimate came in its own ranks to wonder. With the latest revelations surrounding the phone to the Chancellor, the Chancellor's Office chief is under pressure.

Gabriel's rebuke is heavy, but the Social Democrats are currently in coalition negotiations with the Union. The SPD is in a difficult situation: After being attacked head on the campaign trail appeasing the federal government, the party leadership has now imposed restraint in order not to burden the talks. Gabriel's indirect criticism of Pofalla is an indication that the SPD, at least on the distribution of roles in the campaign now fondly remembered again.

Gabriel also told the civil rights a focus of coalition talks between the SPD and the Union. "The SPD is in the coalition negotiations penetrate vehemently that not only the privacy of the Chancellor is effectively protected. Instead of just the 82 million other citizens in Germany," said Gabriel SPIEGEL ONLINE. "It's more than just a hacking scandal at the Chancellor. It's about the freedom and civil rights in the digital age." In fixed by the core principles of the SPD party convention consequences of the NSA scandal were not previously included.

On Thursday, the NSA debate returned with a vengeance. Caused a stir, especially the accusation that the U.S. intelligence had intercepted the phone from Chancellor Angela Merkel. Alarmed by the research MIRROR, telephoned the Chancellor with U.S. President Barack Obama . "Spying among friends - that is not at all," Merkel said before the EU summit in Brussels. Also there is the NSA affair discussed.

The "Guardian" also revealed that the NSA telephone communication of 35 top international politicians monitored. For this, the NSA had received from an official of the U.S. government a total of 200 numbers, they say. The newspaper cites a document from the fundus of the whistleblower Edward Snowden .