Additional legal action is being taken against ex-AfD parliamentarian and judge Maier.
A judge in Saxony is now facing accusations of involvement with a party deemed right-wing extremist by the Saxon Constitution Protection. This label signifies support for objectives that contradict the liberal-democratic foundation enshrined in the Basic Law. The AfD party in the Free State had been classified as securely right-wing extremist by the Constitution Protection in December.
During the AfD party convention in Saxony, Maier had put forward his candidacy for a party position and won, as per the Ministry. In his speech, he reportedly uttered statements conflicting with the liberal-democratic basic order.
Prior to joining the Bundestag for the AfD in 2017, Maier had served as a judge in Saxony. He was once the head of the AfD's right-wing faction, which was subsequently dissolved and categorized as right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in 2020. Upon not being re-elected to the Bundestag in 2021, Maier wished to re-enter the Saxon judiciary.
The Saxon Ministry of Justice initiated early retirement proceedings for Maier. The Labor Tribunal in Leipzig and the Labor Court of the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe both found these measures permissible. Disciplinary proceedings against the retired judge, initiated in March 2022, are still underway.
"Each judge, as well as female and male civil servants in the service of the Free State of Saxony, must pledge loyalty to the liberal-democratic basic order in accordance with the Basic Law and constantly act in its favor," stressed Justice Minister Meier. This obligation extends into retirement.
