Göring-Eckardt: AfD could cripple justice in the east
In a few weeks, elections will be held in Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg. In all three eastern German states, the AfD is well ahead - but it's unlikely they'll secure a majority. Nevertheless, the far-right party could potentially block the rule of law, warns Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt.
Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt fears that the AfD, after electoral successes in eastern Germany, could block important decisions and paralyze the judiciary. This could happen if the far-right party gained a third of the seats in the state parliament, a so-called blocking minority, she said. She specifically referred to her home state of Thuringia. "The outcome of the election in Thuringia is crucial for democracy."
New state parliaments will be elected in Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg in September. In all three states, the AfD is leading in polls. While they were at around 24 percent in Brandenburg, they were at around 30 percent in Thuringia and Saxony. A blocking minority of a third of the state parliament seats is possible with such values if several small parties narrowly fail to clear the five percent hurdle. In Thuringia, this could affect the Greens, who are currently polling at around four percent, as well as the FDP.
The judicial appointments committee in focus
"The fewer parties there are in the state parliament, the more seats the AfD can occupy there," said Göring-Eckardt. "The Greens in parliament are a safeguard against the far-right." This is particularly important for the judiciary. "The judiciary in Thuringia, 35 years after the peaceful revolution, is facing a generational change. Many judges and public prosecutors will retire in the coming years." The judicial appointments committee, which is largely determined by the state parliament with a two-thirds majority, decides on their successors. With a blocking minority, the AfD could prevent new appointments. "Then the rule of law can no longer function properly," said Göring-Eckardt. "This is not an abstract problem, but can affect every man and woman in Thuringia."
A two-thirds majority is also required to dissolve the state parliament. The AfD is leading a "campaign of self-trivialization with nice posters and slogans" in Thuringia, according to the Green politician. "But the AfD's intention is exactly that: to destabilize democracy and the rule of law. The election is about whether the free democratic basic order will continue to exist in the coming years."
Accusations of cancel culture are "history-oblivious"
The Greens have weak poll numbers not only in Thuringia but also in Saxony and Brandenburg. In the election campaign, especially the AfD and the alliance "Sahra Wagenknecht" are attacking green climate protection projects such as the expansion of renewable energy, the switch to heat pumps, and the move away from cars with internal combustion engines.
On this, Göring-Eckardt said: "Even if BSW and AfD polemicize against climate protection: we will continue to put the topic at the center." She understands that changes cause stress for people. But: "Promising that nothing will ever change again is a big deception."
Sahra Wagenknecht, the chair of the Left Party, accuses the Greens of being the main drivers of an "authoritarian cancel culture" that promotes "totalitarian tendencies." Göring-Eckardt dismissed this: "The accusations of a new dictatorship or cancel culture are completely oblivious to history. In our country today, you can say anything, but you must expect that someone else might have a different opinion. Forty years ago in Thuringia, that wasn't the case. We constantly risked being sent to prison."
The Commission's decision on the application of the directive is yet to be made, potentially affecting various policies across various sectors. If the AfD gains a majority or a blocking minority in the Thuringian state parliament, they could potentially stall important decisions, including judicial appointments, which could negatively impact the rule of law and normal functioning of the judiciary.
