In a recent interview, Thuringia’s Interior Minister, Georg Maier of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), expressed his belief that the legal prerequisites for banning the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are in place. Maier emphasized that the AfD has been found to prioritize ethnic or cultural characteristics, effectively dividing people into value-based categories, which he believes is a clear violation of human dignity.
The minister further stated that the AfD is increasingly aggressive in pursuing its political goals, posing a significant threat to the country’s democratic order. He believes that introducing a ban on the party is now necessary, citing the risk of the party’s influence growing if a ban is delayed. Maier drew parallels with the experience of the National Socialist era, noting that a party does not become democratic simply because it is democratically elected.
In contrast, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) remains skeptical about the possibility of a ban. Saxony’s Interior Minister, Armin Schuster, emphasized the importance of a unified stance on the sensitive issue of dealing with a political party, stating that the Innenministerkonferenz’s joint agreement demonstrates that the focus should be on presenting juridically relevant facts and evidence, rather than political opinions, in the event of a court ruling.
The Interior Ministers of the federal government and the states had previously agreed to establish a joint working group in the event that the court follows the assessment of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which would examine the potential consequences of the AfD’s classification, including the implications for party members in public service and the potential revocation of weapons licenses.
Bundesinnenminister Alexander Dobrindt of the Christian Social Union (CSU) has previously suggested that a ban would play into the AfD’s hands, recommending instead that the party be “pushed out of the center” through alternative means.