The emergence of “Generation Deutschland” the newly formed youth organization of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), is generating significant political repercussions and intensifying the debate surrounding a potential ban of the AfD itself. Marc Henrichmann, a security policy expert and chairman of the Bundestag’s intelligence oversight committee, believes the group’s formation and the demonstrable extremism of its leadership will likely dominate discussions at the upcoming Interior Ministers’ Conference.
Henrichmann, speaking to the Handelsblatt, stated that if a thorough legal review of the AfD, alongside its new youth wing’s radicalism, ultimately indicated a high probability of success in a banning procedure, initiating such action would be justifiable. He emphasized, however, that any attempt to outlaw the party must be legally sound, warning that a failed legal challenge due to inadequate grounds would constitute a damaging “Persilschein” – a tacit endorsement – for a party exhibiting increasingly extremist tendencies.
Alexander Throm, the CDU’s domestic policy spokesman for the governing coalition, echoed Henrichmann’s assessment, characterizing “Generation Deutschland” as demonstrating “no distancing” from its predecessor, the “Junge Alternative”. Throm criticized the new organization’s attempt to mask its extremist agenda through a more polished and professional communication style, describing it as a “futile attempt to make extremist ideology more accessible”. He underscored that both the AfD and “Generation Deutschland” remain under constant surveillance by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.
The formation of “Generation Deutschland” further complicates the already fraught question of the AfD’s compatibility with Germany’s constitution. Article 21 of the Basic Law explicitly defines parties that actively seek to undermine or abolish the free democratic basic order or jeopardize the existence of the Federal Republic as unconstitutional. The ultimate determination regarding the AfD’s constitutionality rests with the Federal Constitutional Court and the actions of “Generation Deutschland” are now poised to be a key factor in any future legal challenge. The scrutiny now heightened, the question becomes not just about the party’s stated goals, but also the demonstrable actions and attitudes of its affiliated youth movement.