Clara Bünger, the spokesperson for the Left Party in the Bundestag, does not see the decision by the Federal Agency for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) regarding a “standstill agreement” as a success for the Alternative for Germany (AfD). “Today’s urgent announcement about the so-called standstill agreement of the protection of the constitution is more dramatic than it actually is” said Bünger to the “Welt” (Friday edition).
“From a legal perspective, it is a known procedure: The AfD, like in previous escalations, has filed an urgent application to prevent itself from being publicly labeled as `confirmed right-wing extremist’ until the main decision is made. To avoid a preliminary court ruling on this, the Federal Agency has voluntarily agreed to temporarily refrain from this public designation. This is not a success for the AfD, but a usual legal interim regulation.”
Bünger pointed out that there was a similar agreement in 2021 – “and in the end, the AfD lost in all instances. This time as well, the behavior of the BfV does not say anything about the legality or the validity of the classification. The procedures only take a long time.”
The Left Party politician continued: “What is important: The AfD is not less dangerous because the protection of the constitution is temporarily not allowed to call her so. She remains a party that systematically works against human rights, democracy and the dignity of people in the basic law and therefore represents a danger to many people in this country. And this remains true – regardless of whether the intelligence service is allowed to say it today or not. All the more important is that the opinion finally becomes public. Because for us, it is clear that we must fight the AfD alongside a prohibition procedure on a political level.”
Alexander Throm (CDU), the parliamentary group spokesperson for the Union on internal affairs, also sees no success for the AfD in the “standstill agreement.” “This is a completely normal procedure. The court is given more time to properly examine the facts legally” said Throm to the “Welt” about it.
“And an intensive examination is important in such a case. In the matter itself, no change arises, neither in one direction nor the other. The premature triumphant roar of the AfD once again shows that this party also tries to misuse completely normal legal proceedings for their purposes.