German Interior Minister and Chairman of the Interior Ministers’ Conference, Ulrich Mäurer of the Social Democratic Party, expresses skepticism about the debate on a ban of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). In an interview with the Welt, Mäurer stated that a convincing preparation is necessary for such a procedure and the current report of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution alone is not considered sufficient by many of his Interior Ministers’ Conference colleagues to initiate a ban procedure.
The central weakness of the report, according to Mäurer, lies in its vagueness on the crucial themes of democracy endangerment and the rule of law, focusing primarily on the issue of human dignity. Mäurer, who has been involved in two unsuccessful ban procedures in the past, believes it is too risky and thin to rely solely on this argument in the Constitutional Court. He emphasizes the need for great care in pursuing such a procedure.
As the Interior Minister of Bremen since 2008, Mäurer is set to lead the Interior Ministers’ Conference, which will take place in Bremerhaven from June 11 to 13. The conference agenda includes the handling of the AfD and a possible ban, as well as the implications of the classification as a securely extremist effort, particularly on public sector employees.