Conference of Interior Ministers examines AfD ban procedures after election success in Saxony-Anhalt

The chairman of the Conference of Interior Ministers, Hamburg Senator Andy Grote (SPD), supports the proposal to examine the requirements for an AfD ban procedure. “A federal-state working group would be the next logical step in order to bring together all relevant findings and materials and to examine the existence of the prerequisites for a procedure in a qualified constitutional manner,” Grote told the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger”.

North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) suggested the formation of such a working group. Hesse's Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU) reacted with skepticism: "I am still of the opinion that the AfD needs to be made small politically," Rhein told the German Press Agency. CSU boss Markus Söder made similar comments to Rhein.

Security circles said on Thursday that the federal and state interior ministers wanted to examine the possible protection of certain secret data following the AfD's electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt. The aim is to protect sources and information with connections to Russia if necessary. However, it is also clear that relevant information that serves to prevent terrorist attacks, for example, must remain fully accessible to everyone. The “Bild” newspaper reported that the ministers wanted to keep the AfD away from secret data. This was the result of an internal switching conference on Tuesday, to which Grote had invited.

In the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt last Sunday, the AfD achieved its greatest success to date with 43.8 percent. The party doubled its 2021 result, but missed an absolute majority in parliament. In Saxony-Anhalt and four other countries, the respective Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies it as definitely right-wing extremist.

Saxony-Anhalt's AfD leading candidate Ulrich Siegmund wants to seek a majority from the other factions and individual MPs. The formation of a government is still open. If there is an AfD-led government, the Interior Ministry could also be in the hands of the AfD.