Sisi’s Berlin visit in German and Egyptian media

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's visit to Germany has occupied the headlines in both Egyptian and German media for the last few days, with news of the president’s entourage making headlines before the visit even started.

Egyptian television host Ahmed Moussa compared Sisi to soccer players Messi and Ronaldo on his show on the privately owned Sada al-Balad satellite channel, broadcast from Berlin, where he is accompanying the president. Moussa claimed Sisi had scored five goals in the match of Egyptian-German negotiations.

Also reflecting on the positive nature of the visit, the privately owned Al-Watan newspaper described it as “recognition of the June 30 revolution.” Anonymous sources allegedly recounted to the privately owned newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm that German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Sisi the meetings are a direct recognition of him as the elected president, at the will of the Egyptian people, and that he is not a military dictator.

Merkel had said earlier that the purpose of the visit was to discuss terrorism, military aid and joint investments between the two countries.

The privately owned newspaper Youm7 wrote on Thursday that Sisi had discussed the death sentence against former President Mohamed Morsi and other Muslim Brotherhood leaders, claiming the verdict was a preliminary step that would be followed by other legal procedures to guarantee the degree of culpability of the defendants. He also emphasized the independence of the Egyptian judiciary.

The state-owned website EgyNews wrote on Thursday that Sisi greeted Egyptian expatriates that had gathered to meet him outside his hotel in Berlin to express support for his policies, chanting “Long Live Egypt.” Another gathering of loyalists was waiting for him outside the presidential palace in Berlin, and a number of journalists and actors also gathered outside the chancellery, EgyNews reported.

German newspaper Tagesspiegel (The Daily Mirror), a classical liberal daily, wrote on Wednesday that Sisi’s visit shows that the German government puts its economic interests ahead of German morale. The newspaper claimed German foreign policy supports dictators to achieve stability and security at the expense of human rights, which it says is not only questionable, but also strategically unwise.

A journalist from a German public media outlet told Mada Masr that most of the German media has been highly critical of Sisi’s visit. She explained that Merkel did criticize Egypt’s human rights record, including the death sentences, but that the meeting still provides Sisi with a platform that ultimately legitimizes his governance, particularly given the clearly pro-Sisi stance of the Egyptian journalists accompanying the president on his visit.

"I am sceptical about whether this criticism will actually be reported in the Egyptian mainstream press,” she concluded.

On Wednesday, the headline of renowned international German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, aimed at audiences outside Germany and publishing in 30 languages, read, “Germany lends a hand to Egyptian propaganda." In this opinion piece, editor Rainer Sollich wrote, “Germany is sending a false signal,” describing Merkel’s invitation as premature and claiming she has been overly cautious in addressing topics such as breaches of human rights in Egypt.

Sollich maintained that Egypt is an important country, but questioned how helpful it could be in matters such as terrorism and the refugee crisis, especially given its treatment of the Muslim Brotherhood. He suggested the visit could have been postponed at least until parliamentary elections were scheduled.

In its coverage of the presser at the chancellery, the Die Welt newspaper’s headline read, “The unfortunate appearance of Sisi at the chancellery.” The newspaper recounted an incident in which an Egyptian journalist screamed, “Sisi is a murderer” right after he started his speech with the words, “We are here among friends.” The heckler was led out and members of the Egyptian delegations started chanting, “Long Live Egypt.” Sisi and Merkel left the room immediately, and Egyptian journalists proceeded to chant against the management of the chancellery.