AfD: SPD minister relies on AfD ban on party's proximity to Russia
Georg Maier is pushing for an AfD ban to be examined. The SPD Interior Minister gives several reasons why the Federal Council will soon come to a decision.
Georg Maier: “The AfD’s radicalization process has accelerated again in the last few months.” Photo: Martin Schutt/dpa
Berlin. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) also sees possible evidence for a ban on the AfD in the party's connections to Russia. "What is striking is the increasingly obvious proximity to Russia. This aspect could still play a decisive role in the ban process," Maier told the Handelsblatt.
For the legal assessment, he referred to a possible threat to the state: "Because not only the impairment of human dignity or the principle of democracy and the rule of law are possible reasons for a ban, but also activities that endanger the existence of the Federal Republic."
Maier was confident that the requirements for a ban could be proven. "I am very confident that the evidence will be successful, because the radicalization process of the AfD has accelerated again in the last few months. Key representatives of the party are becoming increasingly outspoken with anti-constitutional statements."
Recently, the debate surrounding the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt had picked up speed again: North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst, an influential CDU politician, recently spoke out in favor of a federal-state working group to examine a possible ban procedure. Several constitutional lawyers commented positively on the proposal.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and Baden-Württemberg's Prime Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) campaigned for a motion "with a focus on the clearly ethnic regional associations of the AfD in Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg".
Merz skeptical about a possible AfD ban
The AfD is being monitored nationwide by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a suspected case. Individual state associations are classified as definitely right-wing extremist by the respective state Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Only the Bundestag, the Bundesrat or the Federal Government can submit an application for a party ban to the Federal Constitutional Court. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) expressed skepticism about the chances of success of a possible AfD ban procedure.
The SPD is calling for a federal-state working group to be set up in the Bundesrat this year to prepare an AfD ban procedure. This requires at least 35 votes. According to a survey by the magazine “Focus”, Baden-Württemberg, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Bremen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Saarland are generally open to such a working group. Together they have 31 Federal Council votes.
State election
Özdemir and Pistorius are calling for ban proceedings against the Saxony-Anhalt AfD
Maier expects further support. “The states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg and possibly Berlin are also potential supporters on this issue.” Thuringia has not yet decided. “Thuringia will probably no longer be important in the Federal Council,” said Maier. However, the developments of the past few weeks encourage him. “I firmly assume that the Federal Council will pass a resolution to set up a federal-state working group this year.”
The working group should first examine the requirements for a ban procedure. “If the evidence is sufficient, an application must be submitted to the Federal Constitutional Court,” said deputy SPD parliamentary group leader Sonja Eichwede. The preparation of a possible AfD test procedure is “the task of a defensive democracy”.
"We've never been this far before"
Eichwede spoke of authoritarian forces that could use democratic procedures “to capture institutions, weaken controls and disregard court decisions.” She referred to the experiences with the National Socialist dictatorship and the developments of recent years in Poland and Hungary. “That’s why we have to take precautions before our constitutional safeguards come under pressure.”
Maier admitted that setting up a working group might seem too hesitant to some supporters of an AfD ban. "However, it is the concrete start to the process. The Conference of Interior Ministers must then take action. We have never been this far."
The SPD parliamentary group is also pushing for the protection of courts and security authorities. Details can be found in a position paper “Defensive democracy – arming our constitutional state against authoritarian attacks,” which the parliamentary group adopted on Tuesday.
Related topics
AfDSPDFederal CouncilThuringiaBerlinBrandenburg
Debate about the AfD ban
Constitutional lawyer sees legal risk if the AfD is partially banned
The SPD legal expert Carmen Wegge said: "Authoritarian forces first attack the institutions that limit their power. That's why we want to permanently secure the independence and ability of our judiciary to act."
Domestic policy spokesman Sebastian Fiedler said that a defensive constitutional state must recognize abuse of power at an early stage, counter it effectively and remain capable of acting even in extreme cases. “This is how we protect sensitive information, our security authorities and their employees from political abuse.”
More: Politicians warn AfD leaders against Russia talks
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