AfD lawyer Conrad warns against party ban proceedings

The lawyer and AfD lawyer Christian Conrad has warned against carrying out party ban proceedings despite uncertainties. “Initiating ban proceedings against a party that is not unconstitutional is itself unconstitutional. Because you then intervene directly in democratic competition,” said Conrad at a hearing on a possible AfD ban procedure in the Thuringian state parliament.

Conrad has represented the AfD as a lawyer several times in the past. He spoke at the hearing in the state parliament in Erfurt at the invitation of the Thuringian AfD parliamentary group, and shortly before the hearing began he appeared at an AfD press conference.

The entertainer Hape Kerkeling and the former President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Hans-Georg Maaßen were also expected in the evening. The reason for the hearing in the Justice Committee is a request from the Thuringian Left parliamentary group, which wants to ensure that the state government supports the start of an AfD ban procedure - for example in the Bundesrat.

Conrad noted that the proposal is not legally binding on the government. “That means this is at best a political mandate,” he said. If you are not absolutely sure that a party should be banned, then you impose a penalty on that party by initiating ban proceedings. Even carrying out a procedure is harmful to the party and interferes with competition. “This is not a test procedure. This is a party ban procedure.” You go into battle.