Germany mulls banning right wing party AfD

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Telegraph
14 Aug 2023 18:48
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This comes as the party recently surged to 21 percent in polls, suggesting that the country is on the verge of falling back into extremism, analysts warned.

AfD supporters walk along a party elections poster in Erfurt, Germany, May 1, 2019 (AP)

German sources said to The Telegraph on Monday that the Bundestag is considering banning the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD).

This comes as the party recently surged to 21 percent in polls, suggesting that the country is on the verge of falling back into so-called "extremism", analysts told The Telegraph.

In a speech to German domestic intelligence, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: "We all have it in our hands to put those who despise our democracy in their place."

His statements were linked to support for a ban after Haldenwang, the domestic spy chief, warned about increasing extremism in the party.

On his part, Haldenwang said: "We see a considerable number of protagonists in this party that spread hate against all types of minorities here in Germany."

One AfD politician, Björn Höcke, has particularly gained considerable prominence in the eastern state of Thuringia and is widely known for his "far-right" tendencies.

Germany's famous Der Spiegel news magazine voiced its take on the matter by publishing the headline: "Ban the enemies of the constitution!"

"The AfD has become more and more radicalized. It’s time to defend democracy with better weapons," Der Spiegel said.

Non-profit organization the German Institute for Human Rights said a week ago that "the AfD has reached a degree of dangerousness that they can be banned according to the constitution."

The party is actively and methodically trying "to implement its racist and Right-wing extremist goals” and “shifting the limits of what can be said so that people can get used to their ethno-nationalist positions," they warned.