In a recent interview, Niedersachsen’s Minister-President Stephan Weil (SPD) expressed his opposition to a potential AfD ban. “As long as the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution does not say that the AfD, in its entirety, is proven and secured to be a threat to the state, I advise against initiating a ban procedure” Weil told Ippen-Media.
The discussion on a possible AfD ban in the Bundestag was still fresh in the minds of many, with several SPD members having recently expressed their support for the move. However, Weil believes it is too early for such a step, stating, “Before a party can be banned in Germany, enormous hurdles need to be overcome. If such a procedure were to fail, it would be a festival for the AfD. We must prevent that.”
Moreover, Weil appealed for more restraint in the election campaign. “We must be careful not to conjure up false solutions, for instance on the topic of migration, just for the sake of a quick headline, which would ultimately only benefit the AfD. I believe the Union fell into this trap in the previous week.