The employee wing of the CDU calls for an immediate ban procedure against the AfD. The executive board of the Christian Democratic Employees of Germany (CDA) stated in an interview with “Stern”: “The Verfassungsschutz must finally clarify what has long been clear: The AfD is a party that is hostile to the constitution.” The party wants to destroy democracy and divides society. The assessment of the Verfassungsschutz provides the necessary basis for a ban procedure. “The CDA of Germany therefore calls for an immediate ban procedure against the AfD.” Furthermore, the party should no longer receive state funding.
SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch told “Spiegel” that the re-evaluation of the AfD is a “clear constitutional signal: Whoever systematically attacks the dignity of people is outside the Basic Law.” “What sounds like racism, what looks like racism, is in the end racism.” The new coalition of Union and SPD must urgently discuss the further course of action, Miersch demanded.
The SPD Bundestag member Carmen Wegge also spoke out again in favor of initiating a ban procedure against the AfD. “The AfD is a right-wing extremist party that wants to eliminate our democracy” Wegge said to “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. “As members of parliament, we are all the more obliged to strive for an examination of the AfD by the Federal Constitutional Court” she explained.
Grünen Party Chief Felix Banaszak demands that the classification of the AfD as right-wing extremist must have consequences for the handling of the party. “For years, we have been observing an absurd simultaneity: While the AfD is becoming more and more radical and more and more obvious, the way of dealing with it in parts of the party landscape is becoming more and more normalized” said Banaszak to the newspapers of the Funke Media Group (Saturday editions).
Linken Fraktion Chief Heidi Reichinnek and Party Chief Jan van Aken demand that a ban procedure against the AfD should be pursued with all determination. “Starting today, there must be no doubt left that the AfD is the biggest danger to our democracy and our country. All those who have promoted the normalization of the AfD and continue to do so are thereby strengthening right-wing extremists and endangering democracy. Everyone must be clear: A democracy cannot survive a participation of right-wing extremists like the AfD” said Reichinnek.
Jan van Aken said: “At the same time, we must also politically fight against the AfD. By finally taking the problems and needs of the people seriously and giving them hope. By really improving people’s lives. The right-wing shift is not a coincidence – it has been politically nourished over years through social cuts and a policy that is oriented towards the interests of the rich and powerful.”
The AfD, on the other hand, considers the decision of the Verfassungsschutz to classify it as right-wing extremist as politically motivated. Party Vice Stephan Brandner told “Rheinische Post” (Saturday): The decision of the “order-obliged Verfassungsschutz” is “completely nonsensical” and has “nothing to do” with law and regulations and is a “purely political fight of cartel parties against the AfD.