The push to ban Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is heating up, with politicians like CDU’s Marco Wanderwitz leading the charge alongside over 100 MPs from other parties.
They argue the AfD, the nation’s second-largest party, is unconstitutional after its recent electoral gains. However, not everyone is on board, with skepticism from figures like Green MP Renate Künast, who is working on her own, more calculated motion to outlaw the party.
Künast’s two-step approach aims to avoid the pitfalls of Wanderwitz’s broader motion. Her proposal includes a preliminary review to ensure the case has merit before heading to Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court. Green MP Lukas Benner warned that without sufficient evidence, the motion could backfire. “The AfD could get a letter with the Karlsruhe eagle saying, ‘we are not unconstitutional,’” he cautioned.
The crux of the issue? A glaring lack of solid evidence against the AfD. Constitutional law expert Christoph Möllers, who was invited to a Greens’ conference, acknowledged the problem. He noted that unlike the now-defunct NPD party, the AfD avoids blatant violations of Germany’s democratic principles in its platforms. “The AfD isn’t stupid,” Möllers quipped, emphasizing the challenge of attributing individual members’ radical statements to the entire party.
Despite his reservations, Möllers suggested creating a special commission to gather evidence discreetly while excluding the AfD from accessing details about the investigation. He admitted banning a double-digit polling party is “pretty crazy,” adding it would massively interfere with the political process.
Unsurprisingly, the AfD lashed out, calling the moves “pure power politics.” Legal policy spokesman Tobias Peterka accused opponents of undermining democracy, saying, “It’s about their democracy, where they decide who belongs.” Peterka also criticized the exclusion of AfD members from intelligence oversight, a parliamentary right granted to all parties by law.
The clock is ticking as Bundestag members grapple with whether to push a ban before elections next February. Möllers admitted that political momentum might fade after the vote, further complicating efforts. As debates rage on, critics warn that targeting a popular opposition party risks looking more like authoritarian suppression than a defense of democracy.
