Duitse minister roept op tot "Europese islam" (en)

In Europe's largest member state, a strong debate is taking place about the integration of Muslims and Islam into society.

German interior minister Otto Schily told this week's edition of news magazine Der Spiegel that his long-term goal is that Muslims in Germany accept a 'European Islam' - which stands up for the rights of women.

An intellectual-political examination of Islam is part of a programme that he wants to press ahead with for the integration of immigrants, Mr Schily told the magazine.

He said that the Germany's regions should be more rigorous about the possibility of deportation when integration efforts fail.

"They have to make more use of being able to deport hate preachers and similar figures than they have up to now", said Mr Schily.

Germany's opposition Christian Democrats are also pushing for more discussion about German patriotism.

According to German daily Handelsblatt, the CDU leader of Hessen, Roland Koch, said that the CDU should become the party "that safeguards German interests".

Edmund Stoiber, leader of the CDU's sister party in Bavaria, the CSU, told the tabloid Bild am Sonntag that everyone who lives in Germany must respect the values there.

"I can imagine that every foreigner who wants to become German swears an oath to our Constitution - something that is quite normal in many other countries", said the Bavarian leader.

"Whoever comes to us and after two, three years is not prepared to speak German, cannot become a German [citizen]", said Mr Koch to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

The CDU wants to see a debate on patriotism at its party day in a little over a week.