Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Maier has publicly voiced concerns regarding the effectiveness of the joint federal-state working group established to address the presence of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) members within government agencies and concerning firearm ownership. Speaking to “Der Tagesspiegel” ahead of the upcoming Interior Minister Conference, Maier expressed disappointment with the group’s outcomes, stating that “more could have been done” and that “the result is not satisfactory.
The core of Maier’s criticism centers on the perceived lack of decisive action following the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution’s May designation of the AfD as “reliably right-wing extremist” at the federal level. While a working group was convened to develop joint guidelines on service law, firearms regulation and security checks – intended to be implemented should the AfD’s designation withstand legal challenges – Maier believes the progress has been insufficient.
Maier is advocating for a more structured approach to service law, suggesting the establishment of specific case groups and tiered classifications to facilitate consistent evaluations. He emphasized the urgency of firearm regulations, citing divergent judicial interpretations across different states. “There must be a legislative change on weapons law” he asserted, underlining the need for absolute clarity – “there can be no room for interpretation” when it comes to preventing extremist groups from possessing weapons.
The Interior Minister’s remarks represent a pointed critique of his federal counterpart, Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), accusing the Christian Social Union and the Federal Interior Ministry of demonstrating “restraint” on both the service law and weapons regulation fronts. This perceived reluctance contrasts sharply with the gravity of the situation following the AfD’s formal identification as a right-wing extremist organization and raises questions about the federal government’s commitment to addressing the issue.
The AfD is currently contesting the constitutional office’s assessment in court, leading authorities to observe a self-imposed standstill on action until a final ruling is reached. However, Maier’s comments reveal mounting pressure within the state-level government to proactively address the potential security implications arising from the presence of individuals associated with a legally challenged extremist party within critical infrastructure and positions of trust. The coming Interior Minister Conference is expected to see heated debate on these crucial issues.